Because 50 Day 20
Scripture Reading: Psalm 131
1My heart is not proud, Lord,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.
2But I have calmed and quieted myself,
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.
3Israel, put your hope in the Lord
both now and forevermore.
Today’s Prayer:
Lord, lift up our gaze from ourselves to the glorious face of Jesus Christ.
Going Deeper:
The psalmist begins this psalm by denouncing pride. What is the problem with pride? What is the impact that pride has on our life? How can an unhealthy sense of pride hinder our worship? The Catholic theologian, Thomas Merton, said, “Pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real.” When we have an unhealthy sense of who we are, it keeps us from truly being able to recognize God for who He is.
How does David keep the problem of pride in check? How is this described in verse 2 of the psalm? How does contentment battle the sin of pride? Joni Eareckson Tada writes, “Contentment has an internal quietness of heart that gladly submits to God in all circumstances.” In what areas of your life do you need to develop contentment? How would doing so enable you to grow as an extravagant worship in the modern era?
Today’s prayer encourages us to shift our attention and focus from ourselves back to Jesus Christ. He is our hope, “both now and forevermore.” The writer of Hebrews tells us to “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith” (Hebrews 12:1b-2a).