Resisting Pride, Serving God Alone
«Beware lest thou forget the LORD thy God, in not keeping his commandments, and his judgments, and his statutes, which I command thee this day: Lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; And when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; Then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the LORD thy God, which brought thee forth out of the land of Egypt, from the house of bondage.»
«Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and showeth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.»
Promise and fulfilment
In the Old Testament, the people of Israel were shown the danger of forgetting God after receiving blessings and prosperity, becoming proud, and turning to other powers. It was made clear that a falling away from God threatened if man exalted himself.
This danger of pride and turning away from God, so vividly described in the Old Testament, finds its fulfilment in Christ. He shows us how to resist this temptation by rejecting the glory of the world and committing himself uncompromisingly to the sole service of God.
Let these verses remind you to take your own Bible in your hands, read them there again and, if you wish, continue a little further. Holding God's Word in your hands also gives you a precious moment away from the digital world.
Do not read the Bible in one long run, but passage by passage: one text, unhurried, asking the Holy Spirit for understanding. Whoever tries to swallow everything at once loses the overview. Whoever takes one passage each day will see the whole picture over time.
The connection
Where the people of Israel in the wilderness and the promised land were repeatedly susceptible to falling into pride and turning away from God, Christ stands firm in the face of the greatest temptation. He rejects the power and glory of the world to serve God alone. He shows us what true faithfulness looks like.
Reflection
Yesterday, we saw how important it is not to test God, but to trust Him with gratitude. Today, we turn to resisting pride. This is such a subtle, yet incredibly powerful temptation, especially when things are going well for us. When our possessions increase, when we find success, when life seems easy, there's a great danger that we forget where all these good things come from. We begin to think it's our own merit, our own strength, our own ability.
The people of Israel were urgently warned not to fall into this very trap. After all the wonders, after liberation from Egypt, after entering a land flowing with milk and honey, they were not to become arrogant. They were not to forget who had led and blessed them. Yet, time and again, they succumbed to this pride, turned away from God, and served other gods.
And then Jesus comes into the wilderness. He is hungry, he is vulnerable. And the devil offers him everything: power, glory, the kingdoms of the world. A tempting offer that appeals to the pride within us. But Jesus resists. He says, 'Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.' He shows us the way: not possessions, not power, not the world's recognition should define us, but devotion to God alone. This is the freedom we are invited to live in today.
Prayer
Dear Father in heaven, I thank You for this morning and for Your Word that guides me. I see how easily my heart can be lifted up when things are going well, and how quickly I forget that all good things come from You. Help me today to resist pride. Let me not forget who I am and who You are. Grant me the strength and humility to serve You alone, just as Jesus demonstrated for us. May my heart honour You and praise Your goodness in all that I do and think. Amen.
The thread
We are in the week of Baptism and the Wilderness. Yesterday, we considered not testing God; today, Jesus extends this thought by resisting the pride that often arises after blessings. Tomorrow, we will look at the Sermon on the Mount, where Jesus unfolds His teaching on true righteousness.
Resist pride today, honour God alone, and live by His grace.
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