Humble Yourself Before the Cross

...They will look on me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for him as one mourns for an only child, and grieve bitterly for him as one grieves for a firstborn son.
-- Zechariah 12:10
Yesterday we learned that if we're looking for humility, we gaze at God. More specifically, we focus on Christ. No, even more humbling, we drag ourselves to the cross. It is there, pride is suffocated... 'self' withers... and humility results. Why the cross? Because the spirit of humility is lavished not on the deserving, but on the undeserving. Nowhere do we recognize ourselves as more undeserving than when we stand in the shadow of the cross.

How do you humble yourself before the cross? Just take a look up into the night sky. Jesus, who set suns and stars spinning in motion, who dreamed up, not just our galaxy which is 100,000 light-years across, but a billion other galaxies Hubble Telescope will never photograph, this Jesus who "determines the number of the stars" and "gives to all of them their names," looking at the distinctiveness of each star and then dreaming up a name that "fits," this same Jesus who, on the cross, did not suspend his commands for squirrels to hibernate or birds to fly south, Jesus who held together "by his word" the very sinews and joints in the hands who hammered spikes into his wrists, this same Jesus bore his Father's wrath against you and your sin when he hung on the cross.

Amazing love! How can it be that God should plunge the knife in his own chest for me - me, or you who yawns and makes a mental note to get a manicure when you focus on your chipped nail as you lift the communion cup to your mouth. Humility is just another word for the little-last-lost-least position you hold when gazing at Christ.


Tackle a word study of 'redemption' and 'reconciliation,' 'atonement' and 'propitiation.' When you meditate on exactly what occurred at the cross, you'll be inviting the spirit of humility.

* * * * *

Lord, if you could make yourself "of no reputation," as it says in your word, so can I. I humble myself before you, Lord Jesus.


Blessings,

Joni and Friends