HUMILITY GETS GOD'S ATTENTION

This is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble
and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word.
Micah 6:8, TNIV

Although culture swoons over the Who’s Who biographies of the rich and famous, Almighty God is not partial to the prosperous, powerful, and prominent. It’s the humble that get His attention. The Lord declares, “This is the one to whom I will look: he (she) who is humble and contrite in spirit” (Isaiah 66:2, ESV). When the time came for Jesus’ birth, God chose humble servants and circumstances for His glorious Son.
 
He chose a humble virgin: Mary said, “he has been mindful of the humble state of his servant” (Luke 1:48).
 
He chose a humble birthplace: But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times (Micah 5:2).
 
He chose a humble birthing room and nursery: While they were there, the time came for the baby to be born, and she gave birth to her firstborn, a son. She wrapped him in cloths and placed him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn (Luke 2:6-7).
 
He choose humble visitors and messengers to spread the news of Jesus’ birth: So they [the shepherds] hurried off and found Mary and Joseph, and the baby, who was lying in the manger. When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child (Luke 2:16-17).
 
He chose a humble, suffering servant: He had no beauty or majesty to attract us to him, nothing in his appearance that we should desire him. He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows, and familiar with suffering (Isaiah 53:2b-3a). Christ Jesus: being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness (Philippians 2:7). From birth to the cross, Jesus willingly gave up His rights and chose humble obedience.
 
What choices are you making this advent season? As God looks upon what you’re doing with your time, the people you are inviting into your home, the things on your wish list, and the charges on your credit cards, what does He see? A sense of entitlement? Self-centeredness? Independence?
 
Or does God see a humble and contrite heart that trembles at His word (Isaiah 66:2) and bows before His Son, the Word became flesh (John 1:14)?

Faith Step

Seek God’s attention this Christmas. Choose to be humble and contrite in spirit, walking humbly with Him (Micah 6:8).

Humility gets God’s attention. Here we find motivation and purpose rooted in this amazing fact: Humility draws the gaze of God.

C.J. Mahaney