What makes something holy? ∙

What makes something holy? ∙

I, the LORD, am holy. – Leviticus 20:26

Deuteronomy 26:18-19

18 The LORD has declared today that you are his people, his own special treasure, just as he promised, and that you must obey all his commands.
19 And if you do, he will set you high above all the other nations he has made. Then you will receive praise, honor, and renown. You will be a nation that is holy to the LORD your God, just as he promised.”

What does it mean to label something as sacred? At its core, sacredness refers to something that holds profound importance and significance for a group of people, often linked to religious or spiritual beliefs. It is something that is set apart, revered, or consecrated. Popular culture frequently explores the idea of sacredness. For instance, in the movie “Avatar,” the Na’vi—a species of 10-foot-tall sapient humanoids living on Pandora—reverence Eywa, a deity connected to all life. Their most sacred object is the Tree of Souls, which represents a profound link to their ancestors and the collective spirit of their world.

Similarly, countless Western films reference the sacred hunting grounds or burial sites of Native American tribes, emphasizing the deep spiritual connection these communities have with their land. Religious artifacts, buildings, and symbols, like temples or crosses, are often deemed sacred because they represent something much greater than their physical forms.

The Bible introduces a similar but distinctive perspective on sacredness. It ties the concept of holiness directly to God. God alone is absolutely holy, possessing intrinsic and unparalleled holiness that describes both His essence and character. His holiness is unique, incorporating purity, faultlessness, righteousness, and moral perfection. It stands in stark contrast to anything defiled or unclean, as highlighted in passages like Leviticus 11:44.

The Hebrew word translated as holy is qadosh. Qadosh has a sense of being “set apart,” “dedicated,” or “consecrated.” Holiness extends beyond righteousness and moral excellence. It involves being distinct and dedicated to God. Theologian Wayne Grudem stated, “God’s holiness means that he is separated from sin and devoted to seeking his own honor.”

The Father unequivocally states that He is holy, emphasizing that He is utterly unique, distinct from all creation, different than all else, and in a class of His own. Apart from God, there is nothing inherently holy.

However, holiness is one of the Father’s communicable attributes, which He shares with people, things, places, and objects. Holiness, bestowed by God, means being set apart for His purposes.

An example of this is the Nation of Israel. God declares in Deuteronomy 14:2, “You have been set apart as holy to the LORD your God, and he has chosen you from all the nations of the earth to be his own special treasure.” The Israelites were chosen to be a holy nation, distinct from the surrounding cultures. They were to reflect God’s holiness in how they lived, showing that they belonged to Him and were dedicated to serving His purposes.

The Israelites were commanded to embody holiness as a sign of their unique relationship with the Creator. They were called to mirror His holiness, remaining distinct and dedicated to Him. At the core of this idea is the ultimate source of sacredness: God Himself. His holiness has the power to transform everything He designates as set apart.

Leviticus 19:2 Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy.

What makes something holy?

Holiness is not something inherent to a person, place, or thing—God confers it. Take the burning bush on Mount Sinai as an example. The ground surrounding the bush was just ordinary dirt—plain, unremarkable, and mundane. But when God’s presence rested there, everything changed. The Lord declared, “Do not come any closer. Take off your sandals, for you are standing on holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). His words alone transformed an ordinary patch of desert. He proclaimed it holy, and it became holy and set apart.

God imputes all holiness; nothing in creation starts as holy. What we now see as sacred—locations, objects, or people—was once common or profane. For example, Israel began as enslaved people, and the temple’s elements were once just raw materials. When God chooses something for His purpose, He makes it holy.

Holiness, then, is not a quality we can attain or possess on our own. It is a gift from God, a mark of His presence and purpose. By His decree, the mundane becomes meaningful, the ordinary becomes extraordinary, and the profane becomes sacred. The Father Himself brings purpose and significance to anything He chooses.

REFLECT & PRAY

Matthew 5:13-14

13 You are the salt of the earth
14 You are the light of the world

Father, You alone are intrinsically Holy. Yet by Your word, You have declared many things holy that were common and profane. Through Your transforming power, You bring purpose and significance to what was once mundane, including Your children, the sons and daughters of the King.

INSIGHT

Throughout Scripture, we see that holiness is often conferred when something is set apart for God’s service. What begins as ordinary is transformed for a divine purpose. Think of it like clay—nothing more than common dirt—being shaped by a skilled potter into something beautiful and valuable. “The Lord uses ordinary objects to do extraordinary things so that it can be plainly seen that the power is from God” (MacDonald).

Take Moses’ staff, for instance. It was just a simple piece of wood, a tool of a shepherd. But after God’s call, it became the rod of God (Exodus 4:2, 4:20 KJV). This ordinary shepherd’s staff was used to perform spectacular miracles, from the plagues in Egypt to the parting of the Red Sea. Of course, the staff itself held no innate power—the power came from God alone. Yet, God chose to use this simple object as an instrument of His divine will, demonstrating His ability to work wonders through the seemingly insignificant.

Another fascinating example is the Hebrew alphabet. At the time of Moses, the cultures surrounding the Hebrews used their alphabets to record myths, rituals, and practices, many of which were deeply rooted in the Canaanite religion and were often obscene, even pornographic. Yet, God took these ordinary symbols—letters formed for common and even profane uses—and repurposed them for the sacred. The Hebrew alphabet became the means through which God revealed Himself to humanity. Written in Hebrew, the Old Testament includes the Torah, the Prophets, and the Writings of the nation of Israel.

What is been labeled as the Despoiling the Egyptians is another example. When the Israelites left Egypt, they carried out an extraordinary treasure trove of gold, silver, precious gems, and fine cloth. These items were not gifts of goodwill but rather a form of payment—compensation for the backbreaking labor they had endured as slaves. The treasure included jewelry, pagan relics, and likely even household idols from Egyptian homes.

What was God’s purpose for these spoils of Egypt? They were repurposed for religious worship. Under God’s instruction, the gold and silver were melted down and used to craft the sacred articles for the Tabernacle, as described in (Exodus 25-28). Items that had once adorned idols or served profane purposes were now dedicated to the worship of the one true God. Scandalous and idolatrous objects were reimagined and consecrated.

Throughout history, the Father has repurposed things of the world for sacred purposes. During the Protestant Reformation, Martin Luther exemplified this principle by transforming secular songs into sacred hymns. He famously asked, “Why should the Devil have all the good music?” Luther pioneered the practice of contrafacta, borrowing popular tunes and setting them to sacred texts, making them suitable for worship. Luther’s well-known hymn tune, “Ein’ Feste Burg,” might be based on a drinking song (http://everything2.com/title/contrafacta).

Many beloved hymns were initially composed for secular or classical purposes. For instance, the hymn “Be Still, My Soul” borrows its melody from Finlandia, composed by Jean Sibelius. Similarly, “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” finds its roots in Beethoven’s “Ode to Joy,” the climactic movement of his majestic Ninth Symphony.

Gospel music, as we know it today, began to take shape in the 1930s, though its roots run much deeper into history. Its origins can be traced to the African American communities of the southern United States in the late 19th century. These communities would gather in their churches, singing heartfelt spirituals and hymns that carried both the weight of their struggles and the hope of deliverance.

The rhythm and power of these songs were palpable, expressed through the hand-clapping and foot-stomping that still resonate in gospel music today. These gatherings were not just acts of worship—they were acts of transformation, where ordinary moments and melodies were made sacred.

God specializes in transformation. He takes what is ordinary, flawed, or even profane and repurposes it for His glory. Pagan idols are melted down to form sacred tabernacle vessels. Secular music is infused with a sacred meaning. Time and again, what the world sees as common or corrupt is redeemed and sanctified, becoming holy and eternal.

This reveals a profound truth about God’s nature. He doesn’t see us for what we are—ordinary, broken, or sinful—but for what we can become. God imparts His holiness to us, shaping us into vessels of His glory. Just as gospel music turns everyday rhythms into powerful praise, we, too, are called to redeem and sanctify the world around us.

God’s redemption is not diminished by the secular. Instead, He brings holiness where it was absent, renewing and transforming everything for His divine purpose, including us.

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© Dr. H 2024

Seeing the unseen ∙∙

Seeing the unseen ∙∙

From the time the world was created, people have seen the earth, sky, and all that God made. They can clearly see his invisible qualities – his eternal power and divine nature. So, they have no excuse whatsoever for not knowing God. – Romans 1:20

Psalms 33:6-9

6 The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars in the sky were made.
7 He assigned the sea its boundaries and locked the oceans in vast reservoirs.
8 Let the whole world fear the LORD and let everyone stand in awe of him.
9 For when he spoke, the world began! It appeared at his command.

“The theory of intelligent design holds that certain features of the universe and of living things are best explained by an intelligent cause” (https://intelligentdesign.org/).

On Earth, some things are the result of chance and natural processes, while others are obviously not. For instance, if you found a piece of driftwood floating near a beach, you wouldn’t consider it extraordinary. But imagine finding a functioning smartphone half-buried in the sand at the same beach. You would immediately recognize it as designed—its complexity could only come from an intelligent source.

How do we know God exists? Evidence in the natural world points to an intelligent designer. The idea that random chance plus time alone could create the world is far less convincing than the possibility of an intelligent mind behind it all.

Whether we examine the vastness of the universe, from galaxies seemingly without end in the distant recesses of space to black holes, or the intricacy of quantum physics on the smallest subatomic level, there is overwhelming evidence of intelligent design everywhere.

Romans 1:20 tells us that the natural world attests to the existence of an intelligent designer, revealing the Father’s invisible qualities and attributes. It speaks of His eternal nature and limitless power. Like any great work of art—whether a painting, sculpture, or piece of music—creation reflects the brilliance and creativity of its Maker. What we see in the natural world points to a fertile mind with unlimited imagination and creativity. Consider this: how can the irreducible complexity of the natural world happen by chance? Reflect on this a bit.

Irreducible complexity is a key argument used by the Intelligent Design movement. It serves as both positive evidence for the existence of intelligence and purposeful planning in certain biological systems, and as a direct challenge to the traditional evolutionary narrative. In essence, irreducible complexity refers to a system or structure that is not only complex but complex in a specific manner. Every component of such a system must be present and positioned correctly for it to function. It’s essentially an all-or-nothing proposition (Luke Wayne, https://carm.org).

Romans 1:20 presents four clear observations of what the natural world reveals. First, anyone can observe the evidence that nature provides; it is visible and accessible to all. Second, people are capable of understanding this evidence and drawing reasonable conclusions from it. The more we explore the complexity of creation, the less it seems to be the product of random chance, pointing instead to intelligent design. Third, the information offered by nature is limited; it shows that the existence of God is a reasonable conclusion but does not provide all the details we need to understand Him or His character. Finally, because of this clear evidence of intelligent design, individuals are responsible for what they observe and for the choices they make about the Creator of all things.

The natural world calls for a response to the One behind it all.

“Napoleon, on a warship in the Mediterranean on a star-lit night, passed a group of his officers who were mocking at the idea of a God. He stopped, and sweeping his hand toward the stars, said, Gentlemen, you must get rid of those first!’” (Zane C. Hodges). His remark captures the testimony of creation to the existence of a Creator.

REFLECT & PRAY

Without faith, it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)

Father, I remember a time when I did not believe in You. I had no faith in my heart because I had not yet heard the Truth. Faith is the response of the human heart to that Truth. Thank You for the people You brought into my life who shared it with me.

INSIGHT

Hebrews 11:3 By faith we understand that the entire universe was formed at God’s command, that what we now see did not come from anything that can be seen.

What we believe is possible has a profound impact on what we accept as real. In other words, What we believe could happen determines what we believe did happen.

Put simply, if you choose not to believe that God exists or that He intervenes within the time-space continuum, then you can’t believe in miracles. They are inconceivable. Events like the resurrection of Jesus Christ or the extraordinary parting of the Red Sea, where the Israelites crossed safely on dry ground, appear to be impossibilities, dismissed as mere embellishments or myths that could never have happened.

But have you ever paused to contemplate this? Perhaps there was a chapter in your life where belief in God seemed out of reach. Did you ask yourself, “What would it take for me to believe that God exists?”

The miracles of the Bible cry out for explanation, and the only plausible answer is the existence and action of a divine Creator who operates within the time and space continuum. Without God, the dramatic accounts of the Red Sea parting in Exodus or the resurrection of Jesus lose their foundation and dissolve into the realm of legends. Yet for those who believe in God, these events are not only possible—they are logical expressions of His nature and power. When faith enters, the supernatural aligns perfectly with the events in the Scriptures.

Consider this deeply: if God does not engage with human history, if He does not have the power or willingness to act, then the resurrection of Jesus Christ could not have occurred. Such an event demands supernatural intervention—something only possible with God. Without divine power, even the heart of Christianity crumbles into nothing more than an inspiring tale devoid of reality.

But if you believe in God—if you truly open your heart to the idea of a Creator who moves mountains and splits waters—then you see His fingerprints everywhere. You come to recognize that what seems impossible to human eyes is far from impossible for Him. Faith transforms how we view the miraculous, showing us not myths but profound moments where heaven touches earth.

Hebrews 11:1 Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.

Psalms 33:6 The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.

Faith, described in Hebrews 11:1 as “the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen,” and affirmed in Psalms 33:6, where “The LORD merely spoke, and the heavens were created,” has profoundly shaped the trajectory of untold millions through the millennia.

Faith is the intangible influence that has inspired generations to dream of what could be, driven by the belief in what cannot yet be seen but is deeply felt. Faith channels hope into action and transforms the intangible into something tangible and enduring.

From the beginning of time, faith in the unseen God has guided human understanding of creation and the mysteries of the cosmos. A simple truth—that the Lord spoke, and the heavens were born—has provided understanding and sparked awe and reverence for the living God, the Creator of all that is.

Faith whispers that there is reason to hope, to build, to love, and to try again, even when the outcome remains unseen. Faith transforms the void of the unknown into fertile ground for possibility. It is the force that bridges the gap between the present and the future, between human intention and divine will.

Faith does not guarantee an easy path—it often requires persistence in the face of adversity. Yet, it empowers people to stand firm when logic says to give up, to create beauty in the midst of chaos, and to see infinite possibilities in finite situations. It inspires martyrs to give their lives for truth and artists to craft masterpieces that point beyond human experience to divine glory.

Seeing the unseen reminds us that we do not walk alone, for the God who spoke the stars into existence walks with us still, guiding those with open hearts to achieve the extraordinary. Faith shapes our past, directs our present, and opens the door to a future full of hope and wonder.

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© Dr. H 2024

Heart calluses ∙∙

Heart calluses ∙∙

I want you to understand this mystery, dear brothers and sisters, so that you will not feel proud about yourselves. Some of the people of Israel have hard hearts, but this will last only until the full number of Gentiles comes to Christ. – Romans 11:25

Ephesians 4:18-19

18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him.
19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity.

The most common calluses are those we get on our feet and hands. These external calluses are thick, hardened layers of skin that develop from repeated friction, irritation, or pressure on the skin.

These hardened skin layers or calluses are your body’s way of protecting the underlying skin from irritation and pressure. For most people, eliminating the source of friction or pressure makes calluses disappear.

Internally, calluses are chalklike concretions that form in the tissues or small joints. They can slow or completely paralyze movement. When a bone is broken, set, and recovered, the area becomes thicker and harder than the original bone. The healed area is also called a callus (Barclay).

Ephesians 4:18 Due to the hardness of their hearts.

The Greek word translated as “hardness,” “callousness,” or “insensitivity” is porosis. Porosis is derived from the Greek verb poroo to harden, petrify, render insensitive (Mark 3:5, Romans 11:25, Ephesians 4:18). Poros originally meant a stone that was harder than marble. Finally, the word came to represent the loss of all power of sensation; it described something that had become so hardened and petrified that it could not feel at all (Barclay). Metaphorically, it meant the stubborn unwillingness to learn (Louw-Nida).

Physical calluses are rarely a problem. But spiritual calluses are quite a different thing. It is a state devoid of feeling and mental awareness (Zodhiates). Such hardening is one of the primary characteristics of soulishness, fleshliness, or unbelief.

Before we became children of the King, our lives were often mired in pursuit of superficial, empty things that did not matter. Our minds, shrouded in ignorance, became darkened, leaving us blind to the deeper truths of life. The result was grim and terrible: our hearts were petrified and turned to cold, unyielding stone. Our ability to feel genuine compassion was greatly diminished. We allowed our minds to grow rigid, losing the ability to adapt to new ideas and perspectives (Barclay).

Sadly, even among those who are children of the King, many continue to carry the burden of these hardened hearts. This inner struggle often manifests as a reluctance to embrace change or to connect empathetically with others, holding back the transformative love and grace that our faith calls us to embody.

Spiritual petrification or dullness is the heart’s response to the irritation of sin and its consequences. Repeated sin has a petrifying effect. At first, people may regard sin with concern. When they sin, remorse and regret enter their hearts. But, if people continue to sin, there comes a time when they lose all sensation and can do the most shameful things without any feeling at all. Their consciences have become petrified (Barclay)

REFLECT & PRAY

To eliminate heart calluses, it is necessary to remove what causes them, or they re-form.

Father, You desire truth in the innermost being, and in the hidden part, You will make me know wisdom. Purify me from my sins, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow (Psalms 51:6, 7).

INSIGHT

The heart describes the root of our unconscious and conscious motivation (Constable). Hardening of the heart is an expression found in both the Old and New Testaments. It occurs many times in the book of Exodus concerning the stubbornness of Pharaoh. Upon closer inspection, sometimes the Pharaoh hardened his own heart. At other times, the God hardened Pharaoh’s heart. In each instance, one of two different Hebrew words is used to describe Pharaoh’s heart: qashah (difficult) or chazaq – (strong). However, in each case, it refers to the Pharaoh’s stubbornness and inflexibility (UBS).

The outward signs of heart calluses include stubbornness, willfulness, obstinacy, and rigidity. When we become set in our ways, we become unwilling to change. We make up our minds and refuse to budge.

In the case of physical calluses, removing the source of irritation is necessary to prevent them from recurring. The same principle applies to the calluses of the heart. However, this creates a practical challenge for each child of the King, as we often do not understand our own hearts as well as we may think we do.

Jeremiah 17:9 The heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is?

Yet we are assured that the Father Himself knows the condition of each person’s heart and the source of every callous.

Jeremiah 17:10 I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives.

David carried the weight of calluses on his heart, formed through the hardening that came when he contemplated and pursued his sin with Bathsheba. Yet, out of this brokenness, we receive a powerful example of spiritual introspection and healing. David offers us a heartfelt prayer—a guide to uncover what lies deep within our hearts. Through his example, we learn how to identify and remove the sources of spiritual “heart disease,” allowing us to seek restoration and renewed intimacy with the Father.

Psalms 139:23-24

23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.
24 Point out anything in me that offends you and lead me along the path of everlasting life.

The word “wicked” signifies more than just outwardly sinful actions; it also refers to patterns of thinking, attitudes, or desires that lead one away from God’s truth and holiness. It implies behaviors that can be hurtful, causing pain or sorrow to oneself, others, or even to God.

David is not satisfied with mere surface-level obedience; he desires God to reveal anything hidden in his heart that could lead him astray. This verse illustrates David’s humility and his willingness to surrender his life to God’s guidance. It emphasizes a longing for a life free from sin and focused on eternal matters, described here as “the way everlasting.”

A teachable spirit goes a long way.

Proverbs 12:1 To learn, you must love discipline; it is stupid to hate correction.

“When we cannot understand ourselves or comprehend our feelings, God invites us to take our internal struggles to Him and ask Him for insight. He understands what we do not, and knows what to do when we don’t” (Stanley).

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© Dr. H 2024

Hidden pride ∙∙

Hidden pride ∙∙

The LORD detests the proud; they will surely be punished. – Proverbs 16:5

Proverbs 16:17-22

17 The path of the virtuous leads away from evil; whoever follows that path is safe.
18 Pride goes before destruction and haughtiness before a fall.
19 Better to live humbly with the poor than to share plunder with the proud.
20 Those who listen to instruction will prosper; those who trust the LORD will be joyful.
21 The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant words are persuasive.
22 Understanding is a fountain of life to one who has it, But the discipline of fools is folly.

Human emotions are as varied as they are complex, ranging from the highs of happiness and joy to the lows of sadness and anger. Most of these emotions—like a smile of joy or a fit of frustration—are easy to spot. But some emotions dwell in the shadows, so subtle that we fail to notice them at all. One particularly elusive emotion is pride. While we often recognize pride when it manifests in boastful or arrogant behavior, there’s another form that is far more insidious and easier to overlook—the hidden pride of understating yourself.

Unlike the hubris of an overinflated ego or outward self-righteousness, hidden pride disguises itself as modesty, shyness, or self-deprecation. It’s the voice inside that rejects compliments or downplays acknowledgment. For example, when someone praises your achievements, admires your intelligence, or commends your hard work, how often do you brush it off or silently cringe instead of graciously accepting the kind words? On the surface, this might seem humble, but lurking beneath can be a form of pride shaped by insecurity.

This type of pride arises from fear and self-doubt, a reluctance to acknowledge our own worth and see ourselves as valuable. By refusing to own our strengths or achievements, we deny not only ourselves but also the gifts and abilities granted to us by God.

Charles Stanley offers an especially compelling analogy on this issue. He writes, “Our relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ is a long journey that begins at salvation and ends in heaven. Our walk is strewn with adversity, hazards, and dangers to overcome or avoid. One such obstacle is pride. It is a spiritual landmine. It is analogous to an explosive device buried in the ground to wreak horrific physical harm or death. Hidden pride is embedded and often unrecognized in our hearts” (Stanley). When it “explodes,” it causes spiritual damage. Our lives, relationships, and walk with the Lord are often profoundly impacted.

“Our enemy Satan lays spiritual landmines in our path to trip us up, and one of his most effective ones is pride. Therefore, we must learn to detect it quickly in order to guard against sin. Often, we are slow to see and admit that we have a problem with pride because it tends to hide behind feelings of inadequacy” (Stanley).

The story is told of a young man, barely into his twenties, who had recently begun his walk as a child of the King. A college student by day, he was known for his quiet demeanor and a shyness that often served as his shield against the world. Social encounters left him uncomfortable, and he spent much of his time observing rather than participating. To him, shyness was simply a part of who he was, a harmless quirk that defined his interactions with others.

One day, seemingly by chance, he stumbled upon a Christian book buried among the shelves of a campus library. Intrigued but unsure why he felt compelled to pull it out, he flipped through its pages until a startling comment caught his attention. The author remarked that shyness, often viewed as innocent, could actually be sinful. The statement struck him like lightning. Could his natural tendency to retreat from others be wrong?

The author explained that shyness, at its core, was a form of self-focus—a preoccupation with one’s own insecurities, weaknesses, or discomforts. This excessive inward gaze, the book argued, could prevent someone from stepping forward in faith, engaging with others, or fulfilling the Father’s purpose. It was pride in disguise, a hidden trap of focusing too much on self rather than trusting in God’s strength.

It was a stunning revelation the young man had never considered. Could his reluctance to speak up or engage genuinely be rooted in subtle pride? The thought unsettled him, yet it resonated deeply. For the first time, he saw his shyness as more than a personality trait—it was a barrier, a weight holding him back from the fullness of life in Christ.

With a repentant heart, he knelt down that very evening. He poured out his soul, acknowledging his hidden pride masked as shyness. “Father, forgive me,” he prayed, tears streaming down his face. “Help me to trust in You, not my weaknesses. Give me the courage to step out of myself and into Your will.”

REFLECT & PRAY

The proud man with “haughty eyes” is placed in the very worst company in Proverbs, heading the ‘seven abominations’ in Proverbs 6:17 (Kidner).

Father, please reveal all of the hurtful and wicked ways within my heart. I see the hidden pride within, acknowledge it, and release it to You.

INSIGHT

How grievous is the sin of pride? The answer is surprising and unexpected. The Father puts pride in the same category as murder (Stanley)!

Proverbs 6:16-17

16 There are six things the LORD hates– no, seven things he detests:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent [murder].

All sins are not equal. And there are seven that the Lord detests more than all others. He calls them abominations. “An abomination refers to anything that is abhorred or regarded as disgusting” (UBS). The Hebrew terms translated as “to Him” or “He detests” do not reflect the original Hebrew. The original Hebrew, napšô, literally says, “to His soul.” In essence, pride hurts and grieves the very heart or soul of God.

Ponder that for a moment and consider.

When we are guilty of these seven sins, we actually cause the Father “pain,” “sorrow,” and “disgust” in the deepest recesses of His being. In modern English, we would say, “We bring tears to His eyes” or “We break His heart.”

I would hope that no child of the King who deeply loves Him wants to do that knowingly. When we truly love someone, the last thing we wish to do is harm the person we care about.

Proverbs 6:16-19

16 There are six things the LORD hates – yes, seven which are an abomination to Him:
17 haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that kill the innocent,
18 a heart that plots evil, feet that race to do wrong,
19 a false witness who pours out lies, a person who sows discord in a family.

The Hebrew term translated as haughty eyes is rum, which literally means high, lofty, or exalted. Metaphorically, it has the sense of being raised up, haughty, or proud. The expression of haughty eyes refers to a proud look, suggesting arrogance.

The Scriptures are crystal clear: God hates human pride.

James 4:6 God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble. The same thought is found elsewhere in Scripture Proverbs 3:34 and 1 Peter 5:5.

“Proverbs 16:5 says, ‘Everyone who is proud in heart is an abomination to the Lord.’ That’s why we cannot serve Him while clinging to our own self-importance. When God is given second place in our lives, the work of the Holy Spirit is hindered. Then we make foolish mistakes because we are focused not on Him but on ourselves” (Stanley).

How can we actualize this in our lives and reduce our pride and arrogance?

The first step in addressing hidden pride is awareness. Take an honest look at your heart. Are there moments where you reject acknowledgment or affirmations? Do you downplay your strengths or dismiss the gifts others see within you? These subtle signs are often the clues we need to unearth this hidden struggle.

Hidden pride is a silent adversary, but it doesn’t have to define us. “The key to overcoming pride is to fix our eyes on God and the depth of His character. He alone is worthy of all exaltation” (Stanley).

Micah 6:8 O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justice, to love kindness, And to walk humbly with your God?

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© Dr. H 2024

I AM the LORD! ∙∙

I AM the LORD! ∙∙

They did not listen to him because of their discouragement and harsh labor. – Exodus 6:9

Exodus 6:1-9

1 Then the LORD told Moses, “Now you will see what I will do to Pharaoh. When he feels the force of my strong hand, he will let the people go. In fact, he will force them to leave his land!”

2 And God said to Moses, “I am Yahweh – ‘the LORD.’”

3 I appeared to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai – “God Almighty” – but I did not reveal my name, Yahweh, to them.
4 And I reaffirmed my covenant with them. Under its terms, I promised to give them the land of Canaan, where they were living as foreigners.

5 You can be sure that I have heard the groans of the people of Israel, who are now slaves to the Egyptians. And I am well aware of my covenant with them.
6 Therefore, say to the people of Israel: “I am the LORD. I will free you from your oppression and will rescue you from your slavery in Egypt. I will redeem you with a powerful arm and great acts of judgment.”

9 So Moses told the people of Israel what the LORD had said, but they refused to listen anymore. They had become too discouraged by the brutality of their slavery.

Dr. Shane Lopez, a Senior Scientist at Gallup and one of the world’s foremost experts on hope, dedicated his life to understanding and spreading this vital emotion. He believed that hope is both contagious and life-changing. Here are some of his observations. “The tiny ripple of hope you set in motion can change the path of someone’s life. Hope is created moment by moment through our deliberate choices. It happens when we use our thoughts and feelings to temper our aversion to loss and actively pursue what is possible. How we think about the future – how we hope – determines how well we live our lives.”

Dr. Lopez identified several ways we can foster hope in ourselves and others:

• Modeling hope by treating others with the compassion, love, and kindness we also wish to receive.
• Caring enough to support others who are in need of help.
• Becoming a Super-Empowered, Hopeful Individual, someone who believes that the future can be brighter and who works to make it happen despite the obstacles in their way (psychologytoday.com).

Hope, however, does not mean the absence of struggle. The late Billy Graham once said, “The Christian life is not a constant high. I have my moments of deep discouragement. I have to go to God in prayer with tears in my eyes, and say, ‘O God, forgive me,’ or ‘Help me.’”

Similarly, Joyce Meyer observed that “Depression begins with disappointment. When disappointment festers in our soul, it leads to discouragement.” Yet, the spark of hope allows us to endure.

As James Whitcomb Riley put it, “The most essential factor is persistence – the determination never to allow your energy or enthusiasm to be dampened by the discouragement that must inevitably come.”

Hope also requires trust in God’s promises. When the Father makes a promise, the children of the King can rest in the certainty that it will be fulfilled. But often, before a promise comes to fruition, the Father shakes up the status quo. When He revealed Himself at Mount Sinai, the earth shook. In the future, when He shakes both the heavens and the Earth, as Hebrews 12:26-27 explains, God’s purpose in this shaking is to remove what can be shaken—to strip away what is temporary—so that only the eternal things remain.

This process can feel unsettling, but it’s also where hope thrives. Through the trials, disruptions, and changes, God calls us to focus on what is unshakable. And it’s in those moments of challenge that the ripple of hope begins to grow, transforming us and those around us. When we choose hope, we align with the Father’s eternal plan, trusting that even in the midst of the shaking, He is preparing something far greater than we can imagine.

Just as the Father shakes the heavens and the earth, He often shakes His children—not to harm them, but to refine and prepare them. Yet, we rarely welcome such moments of upheaval. We tend to see them as interruptions or sources of discomfort, especially when they make things feel worse before they get better.

When Moses returned from Mount Sinai, he approached Pharaoh as God had commanded him, boldly asking that the Israelites be set free from their slavery. But instead of liberation, Moses faced rejection. Pharaoh refused and, in retaliation, increased the burden on the Israelites. Now, they were tasked with making bricks without being given straw. Misery deepened. Moses, disheartened by Pharaoh’s response and the people’s suffering, felt he had failed. He blames himself and questions why the Lord asked him to do it in the first place.

Many of us can identify with Moses. He started his mission with zeal, full of faith that the Lord’s plan would succeed. But when everything crumbled, he fell flat on his face. Frustration and self-doubt kicked in, and he complained and whined. Why would God choose someone so inadequate for such an important task? But that was precisely the reason the Father chose Moses. His inadequacy left room for God’s power to be revealed.

Sadly, Moses wasn’t the only one consumed by negativity. After 400 years of backbreaking servitude and making bricks, what could be worse? Try making bricks without straw.

Exodus 6:9 tells us that the people wouldn’t even listen to Moses because of their crushed spirits.

The word translated as crushed is qotser. Qotser has the sense of “broken,” “discouragement,” or “despondency”—literally means “shortness.” When paired with spirit (ruach), it conveys impatience, exhaustion, and utter defeat. The Israelites were overwhelmed by despair. Beaten down, discouraged, and depleted, they became heartsick and just gave up.

Proverbs 13:12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a longing fulfilled is like a tree of life.

The Israelites’ hope had been deferred for so long that they couldn’t imagine anything changing. Their current pain blinded them to the future promise of freedom. Charles Stanley captures the moment. “When we feel oppressed, and our spirit groans, it is difficult for us to believe the good promises of God regarding our welfare.” Instead of being long-suffering, they figured they had suffered long enough. They had had enough. All hope was lost.

But just as God’s shaking strips away what is temporary to reveal what is eternal, He was working behind the scenes to fulfill His promise to the Israelites. Though they couldn’t see it, their liberation was near. Sometimes, the darkest moments aren’t signs of God’s absence—they’re the moments just before His greatest work is revealed.

When our spirits feel crushed and victory seems impossible, by faith, we remember that the Father’s promises never fail. He has a way of using the storms of life to prepare us for the blessings ahead.

In the heat of the moment, sadly, we are blinded and lose hope.

REFLECT & PRAY

Physical suffering pains our bodies, but emotional suffering and discouragement bring leanness to our souls and ravage our hearts.

Father, remind me again and again and bring to my mind that no matter what my circumstances are or how gloomy and dire my situation seems to be, your answer always begins, “I am the LORD!”

INSIGHT

The irony is that initial failure lays the groundwork for ultimate success. Pessimism and doubt are the fertile soil in which promises are fulfilled.

Matthew 19:26 With God, all things are possible.

The Scriptures are filled with examples of the Father accomplishing the impossible, especially when all hope seems lost. Consider a few awe-inspiring events: raising Lazarus from the dead, protecting the three Hebrew men in the fiery furnace, parting the Red Sea, sending angelic armies to defend Elisha and Gehazi, and the greatest miracle of all—the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.

The issue has never been with the Father’s power or faithfulness. The difficulty lies in our discouragement and lack of faith. The Father desires for us to know and believe that He is the answer to all our problems and circumstances. Our physical, emotional, and eternal well-being depends solely on His unchanging character and attributes.

Why did the Father allow Moses to fail at the very beginning of his mission when he first approached Pharaoh? Perhaps if Pharaoh had released the nation of Israel the first time Moses asked, Moses would have received most of the credit. Instead, his attempt completely backfired, and he had to shoulder all the blame.

The people became convinced that Moses was incapable of leading them to the Promised Land. Only the Father could bring them out of Egypt by His mighty hand (Exodus 32:11). As Moses and Pharaoh quarreled over the release of Israel from bondage, it became increasingly clear that the Father was teaching His people to place all their trust in Him. In due time, they discovered that when all else failed, the one thing they could count on was the One who declared, “I am the LORD” (Ryken and Hughes).

“Exodus is a God-centered book with a God-centered message that teaches us to have a God-centered life. Whatever problems we have, whatever difficulties we face, the most important thing is to know who God is. We are called to place our trust in the One who says, ‘I am the LORD.’ . . . When nothing seems to go right, and it is not certain how things will ever work out – even then he says, ‘I am the LORD’” (Ryken and Hughes).

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© Dr. H 2024