Shedding pride

While looking for images to use this week, I came across this beautiful lion. Staring at it in the context of pride, I imagined a creature so very proud and one who is probably accustomed to getting whatever he wants. I feel he's angry or hurt maybe because of the pain on his face but his posture looks relaxed like maybe he's conflicted. There are gold marks radiating from his head and so I imagined his mighty roar being so strong that it caused some of his fur to fly out. Maybe that all sounds crazy, but I like to share all of it with you, the crazy and the sane. Anyway, horoscope-wise, I'm a Leo, a very proud lion(ess) who's always having to deal with pride and sometimes having to be reminded to let go of it. I may roar loudly as I work on this, fighting it till the end but eventually shed it all (until the next time).
     I used to be so full of myself that even after God took me down a few notches I still fought the idea that He wanted me to obey certain people in my life, and that He wanted me to be a servant, doing whatever tasks He called me to do no matter how seemingly petty.
     Then I met a woman a few years ago at my previous church and we were talking about obedience or something along those lines. I was being my normal prideful self saying something to the effect that I don't take orders from anybody (hopefully I didn't say that exactly) and she said she was proud to be a servant; that she felt honored to be called to serve God in this capacity.
     That simple response fixed a lifetime of battles and miseries for me. That's when it finally sunk in. I had spent my whole life fighting to be in control, thinking I was somehow born to be something or someone "special" (are you hating me yet?) when in fact I had spent my entire life saying "no" to God. Wow! I am so embarrassed about the old me.
     Needless to say, I still have prideful moments, but I'm more aware of them now and correct myself when I stray in that direction. I want to obey, to serve, which in turn brings honor to God. Non-Christians watch us, you know. We need to be on our game as much as possible, showing what an image-bearer of Christ looks like and acts like. We need to show them the peace and light that we carry within each of us.

Do nothing from rivalry or conceit, but in humility count others more significant than yourselves. Let each of you look not only to his own interests, but also to the interests of others. Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

Philippians 2:3-11 ESV
 (The picture I used on Monday would have been perfect to go with this Bible verse)

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Please join me this week in praying for humility, either for yourself or someone you know. If you don't know anyone who needs a dose of humility, then I humbly ask that you pray this for me.
I'll post daily reminders on:
twitter @7DegreesOfMe
Instagram @archadia27
Facebook group 7th Hour Prayer Power

A Call to Worship and Obedience

Daily Bible Verse

Psalm 95:1-7 (NIV)

Come, let us sing for joy to the LORD;

    let us shout aloud to the Rock of our salvation.

Let us come before Him with thanksgiving

    and extol Him with music and song.

For the LORD is the great God,

    the great King above all gods.

 In His hand are the depths of the earth,

    and the mountain peaks belong to Him.

 The sea is His, for He made it,

    and His hands formed the dry land.

 Come, let us bow down in worship,

    let us kneel before the LORD our Maker;

 for He is our God

    and we are the people of His pasture,

    the flock under His care.

Today, if only you would hear His voice,

Note: 

     Anytime you see "LORD" or "GOD" in all capital letters (at least in the New King James version), it is referring to God's Hebrew name "Yhwh," the Eternal God. The name is so sacred to the Hebrews that they wouldn't say it or write it. Instead, they chose to represent His name as "LORD" or "GOD." In English, it has been translated as "Yahweh."

     You'll also note in the New King James version that any reference made to the Lord or to Christ is capitalized, so He, Him, the Word, etc...The New International Version Bible (that I'm using) doesn't use this standard, so I change it to post here. When I was in the fourth grade, we had indoor recess one day and I remember writing bible verses on the classroom chalkboard. My teacher, who was also a member of my church came up and stated very emphatically as he corrected my writing, "Always, always capitalize the first letter whenever referring to our Lord!" I have always remembered that because of his passion in correcting this mistake. I cringe whenever I read references to Him that are not given this respect. I feel blessed being born in this time and this place. Children today would probably get in trouble for writing bible verses on a school chalkboard, and I imagine a teacher would never mention God in front of a student. It's such a shame.