ANGLICAN DAILY FOUNTAIN DEVOTIONAL FOR DECEMBER 17, 2022 (NEEDED: HUMBLE MEN)

TOPIC : NEEDED: HUMBLE MEN

Read: Zephaniah 3: 1-13(NKJV)

1. Woe to her who is rebellious and polluted, To the oppressing city!
2. She has not obeyed [His] voice, She has not received correction; She has not trusted in the LORD, She has not drawn near to her God.
3. Her princes in her midst [are] roaring lions; Her judges [are] evening wolves That leave not a bone till morning.
4. Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have polluted the sanctuary, They have done violence to the law.
5. The LORD [is] righteous in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails, But the unjust knows no shame.
6. “I have cut off nations, Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their streets desolate, With none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; [There is] no one, no inhabitant.
7. I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me, You will receive instruction’ — So that her dwelling would not be cut off, [Despite] everything for which I punished her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds.
8. ” Therefore wait for Me,” says the LORD, “Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination [is] to gather the nations To My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, All my fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured With the fire of My jealousy.
9. “For then I will restore to the peoples a pure language, That they all may call on the name of the LORD, To serve Him with one accord.
10. From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, The daughter of My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering.
11. In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst Those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty In My holy mountain.
12. I will leave in your midst A meek and humble people, And they shall trust in the name of the LORD.
13. The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness And speak no lies, Nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed [their] flocks and lie down, And no one shall make [them] afraid.”

MESSAGE
STUDY: As we sat for dinner, he rose immediately after we gave thanks for the meal, took the serving spoon and stretched his hands to take my plate to serve me first. I was so taken by surprise that a man of great repute like him would want to do this. Although I declined politely, offering instead to serve him, I learnt a valuable lesson in humility. God’s desire is to leave in our midst, ‘a people humble and lowly’ (v.12). In our churches, offices and homes, humble people have become endangered species. In a world of self-promotion via Facebook, WhatsApp and Instagram, being humble looks like an abnormality.

Although we do not say it, there is a very subtle pressure even on Christians to promote themselves and shout out their strengths. Self-advertisement is now the order of the day. But this seems to run contrary to Heaven’s expectations; part of the kingdom lifestyle Jesus taught us is humility. “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth” (Matt. 5:5); another word for ‘meek’ is ‘humble.’ Humility ought to characterise the life of a child of God. Being haughty and being a disciple of Jesus do not go together. Jesus exemplified humility for us in all He did: He washed the feet of the disciples and He insists we ought to do same for others. Humble men are the kind of men Jesus wants to leave in the midst of the church. Be one.