Minute Meditations

”There is something in me worth saving, though I can’t find what it is just yet.” This quotation is attributed to the famous author, Robert Louis Stevenson.

We can all empathize with this thought if we are honest with ourselves. We should indeed be thankful that there is something in us worth saving and that God has seen it and called us to Him for as Jesus said, ”no man can come to me except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” So while there is something in each of us worth saving, we remember Paul said that ”I know that in me (that is, in my flesh dwelleth no good thing.” We have nothing in us about which we may glory, but God in His mercy has seen fit to call us unto His high and holy calling. It certainly is not because we are so brilliant, for again Paul has said that ”not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called.”

Out of all the millions of people living on the earth, to think that God has called us! This fact should fill us with gratitude, but not with pride. Pride is something that God hates. Solomon tells us that ”these six things doth the LORD hate: yea, seven are an abomination unto him.” Heading this list is ”a proud look.”

God cannot use those who are filled with pride for they look upon themselves as self-made men who worship their creator. Samuel condemned King Saul, reminding him of the fact that he had changed from the time when God first called him. ”When thou was little in thine own sight,” Samuel told Saul, ”wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?” ”Because thou has rejected the word of the LORD, He hath also rejected thee from being king.” It is a wrong response for us to become puffed up because of our high calling. As Jesus reminded his disciples, ”except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

The Jewish nation was proud of the fact that they had Abraham for their father but – Jesus rebuked them saying, ”think not to say within yourselves, we have Abraham to our father: for I say unto you, that God is able of these stones to raise up children unto Abraham.”

Paul had to remind the Gentiles to be on guard not to let this same attitude of pride get to them. ”Be not highminded, but fear,” said Paul, ”for if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity, but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou shalt be cut off... For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits.”

We need to be thankful and grateful to our Heavenly Father for calling us but we must be on guard that this does not turn to pride and an attitude of superiority.

”There arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face,” yet Moses was the meekest man on the face of the earth. God said of Paul, ”he is a chosen vessel unto me,” yet Paul said of himself, ”I am the least of the apostles, that am not meet to be called an apostle.

Although Moses and Paul were meek and humble, yet they did things. They did not wallow around in self pity saying, ”woe is me, woe is me, I’m a nobody that can’t do anything.” They did the best they could with the ability that God had given them and God expects this from us as well. We are not a Moses or a Paul but we can do all things through Christ who strengthens us and so we had better get busy doing it now. God’s strength is made perfect in weakness so let us each show our gratitude to God for having called us by being willing to spend and be spent in the service of our King. We need to adopt the attitude of Isaiah who said to the LORD, ”Here am I, send me.”