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“As long as you are proud you cannot know God.”
— C.S. Lewis
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As I’ve been praying about what I should share with you this week, I keep coming back to this sense that God desires for us to hear and know his Voice as we’ve never known it before.
Advent tells a story of open heavens and the Great Descent, that moment when the son of God became a man so that we could become sons and daughters of God. This is a season of convergence, of thin places in time and space, and I believe God has words for you.
So, my prayer has been, How do we hear the Voice better? . . .
The Spirit keeps taking me back to the radical humility of Advent, and the word in my spirit is “the humble hear my voice.”
He leads the humble in what is right,
and teaches the humble his way. (Psalm 25:9)
Advent reminds us that from birth Jesus embodied perfect humility, but, of course, humility isn’t just a “Jesus thing.” Scripture tells us time and time again that the path of purpose and personhood belongs to the humble.
“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” (James 4:6)
Response
“When pride comes, then comes disgrace,
but with the humble is wisdom.” (Proverbs 11:2)
Pride blocks our ears.
Pride distorts our sight.
Pride burdens our backs.
Pride exploits our frailty and brokenness, but contrition calls God into the chaos of our lives (Psalm 51:17). Pride breaks but humility heals.
Wherever today finds you, I challenge you to pray, Father, forgive me, for I know not what I do. I need your grace to see what I otherwise cannot see, feel what I otherwise couldn’t feel, and do what I otherwise couldn’t do. Deliver me from my pride and into the loving arms of the Consuming Fire. May anything that is not truly me be lost in you. Grant me the righteousness, peace, and joy of your Son. Please speak to me. I am listening . . . I am yours. Amen.
Closing Thoughts
A few days ago, I challenged my fourteen-year-old son to end his day by sitting before God in silence for 30 minutes, with nothing but a pencil and paper. He’s dealing with a lot of noise and needed a solid word. I encouraged him to humble himself and make space for the Spirit to do what only God could do. Well, God showed up, and Asher emerged from that time with tears on his cheeks and clarity in his eyes.
We don’t have to carry the weight of what’s to come, and we don’t need all the answers. What we need is to be led by the One who is the Answer to whatever may come.
Praying with you,
Addison
P.S. If you need a last-minute Christmas gift, you can still get the Words with God in time for the holiday. It’s available through Amazon, Messenger, or wherever you get your books.
P.P.S. I’m excited that a new six-session course on prayer will be available (for free) on January 1! You don’t need to do anything to get it because I’m sending it to everyone who’s on this journey of embracing prayer as a way of life.
