Rebekah Wilson 0:07
Welcome to Elmhurst CRC’s daily dose of the word of God. Today is Monday, August 1st, and this is Rebekah Wilson. I serve as Discipleship Coordinator. Today I’ll be reading from Matthew 11: 25-27 from the NLT.
Rebekah Wilson 0:23
“At that time, Jesus prayed this prayer: ‘O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.’”
Rebekah Wilson 0:53
The Bible is full of examples of how those who think they are wise and clever often fail to understand God’s truth, and the humble, the lowly, the little child are the ones who really “get it.” In Matthew’s gospel, the first people recorded to identify who Jesus was correctly were - ironically - two blind men. Even though their lack of earthly sight put them at the bottom of their society, their spiritual sight and faith made them great in the Kingdom of Heaven. In James, we read, “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.”
Rebekah Wilson 1:32
We live in a highly well-educated society. In the Western suburbs, many in our church have advanced college degrees. We have a flourishing Christian elementary and secondary school next door, where many of our children attend. And a number of our congregation have attended Christian colleges. And yet, like the Pharisees, has our education become an idol? Do we think that we understand God because we’ve been taught the truths of God? Jesus warned the disciples during His teaching that any amount of education we receive will fall on deaf ears unless we humble ourselves before God and submit to Him. So, where in your life are you deceived? How might your pride and arrogance about your education be a stumbling block in your relationship with the Lord?
Rebekah Wilson 2:26
Let’s pray. “Heavenly Father, we praise You for being a God who reveals Himself through the Bible. You are a God who doesn’t seek after the powerful or the prestigious. You bless those who are meek, poor in spirit, and like little children. Forgive us when we so pridefully think that we know better than You. Forgive us when we neglect to read Your word and instead put our trust in our education or training. Draw us nearer to You, Lord. Please reveal to us the areas of our lives where our pride and arrogance have crept in and taken up residence. We desire to honestly know You and come close to You, just as Your Son knows You and communes with You. We thank You for the privilege it is to be known by the Creator of the Universe. Amen.