Promises to the Humble
“Lord, thou hast heard the desire of the humble: thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear.” (Psalm 10:17)
“My soul shall make her boast in the Lord: the humble shall hear thereof, and be glad.” (Psalm 34:2)
“A man’s pride shall bring him low: but honour shall uphold the humble in spirit.” (Proverbs 29:23)
“For God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5)
“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)
“And whosoever shall exalt himself shall be abased; and he that shall humble himself shall be exalted.” (Matthew 23:12)
The advantage of a life of humility is herein plainly set forth. The rich blessings and deep things of the secrets of the Lord cannot be found anywhere else. It is here where God prepares the heart to respond to every whisper of His will, and plants His own holy desires there so He can ever incline His ear to the whispers of that heart. This is a blessed life. The ear of the humble soul is always open to the voice of God, and the ear of God is always open to the prayers and whispers of that soul (1 Peter 3:12). This makes life delightful; for it is one of continual communion and harmony with God.
Many a dear child of God has had seasons of such a blissful life in the past. Perhaps this perfect communion has gradually become less perfect, and the voice of God that had been so distinct and clear has grown indistinct and dim; and yet there has been a loss to know just what has caused this. In many cases this condition is brought on through a lack of humility. By a careful self-examination there will be found a time or place in the past, where there was a glance or look upon something else than the perfect will of God. Instead of an immediate turning away from it, the soul has taken counsel with itself and thereby lost the perfect communion.
There are many little things that can come in our way, which must be at once ignored, else they will surely prove to our hurt in this respect. The same is true with reference to additional light that comes to us through the Word of God. The perfect communion can only be maintained by an immediate obedience and measuring up to every ray of light as it flashes upon us, humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. This is where the glorious harmony will continue to increase and the riches of God’s grace continue to flow in an unbroken stream, until our life becomes like a watered garden, bountifully bearing the delightful fruits of the Spirit.
The humble soul that learns how to let God have His own way in everything, will reach the blessed state of harmony where God will let him have his way in everything. God will honor him who loses his own honor under the mighty hand of God; not with the vain honor of this world, but with that which is from heaven. He “giveth grace unto the humble,” (1 Peter 5:5) and everything in the context warrants us in the assertion that the more humility, the more grace. The proud have no promise but utter resistance. The humble have all the grace.
No wonder there is such a barrenness of the grace of God in the professing religious world. In sectism, everywhere, the cry is heard from such as have yet a spark of life remaining, “We need an old-fashioned revival.” The cause of this is, “God resisteth the proud.” (1 Peter 5:5) Grace and pride can never dwell together. They are as opposite as day and night. Humility always precedes grace, and the two are inseparable. Pride and sin are alike in harmony with each other.
Oh, Beloved, let us seek deeper humility! May it so illuminate our lives that we may shine like a brilliant star in the midst of this dark, vain world of pride, pomp, and show. May the exceeding riches of grace, through the necessary channel of Bible humility, become so manifest in the Church of God that she may be indeed a crown of glory, and a royal diadem in His hand.