Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living WordAction - Nazarene Publishing House - The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Humility’s Root" by Duane Brush for Monday, 29 May 2017 - Psalm 86:1-17

Reflecting God – Embrace Holy Living WordAction - Nazarene Publishing House - The Global Church of the Nazarene in Kansas City, Missouri, United States "Humility’s Root" by Duane Brush for Monday, 29 May 2017 - Psalm 86:1-17Psalm 86:1 (0) A prayer of David:
(1) Listen, Adonai, and answer me,
for I am poor and needy.
2 Preserve my life, for I am faithful;
save your servant,
who puts his trust in you
because you are my God.
3 Take pity on me, Adonai,
for I cry to you all day.
4 Fill your servant’s heart with joy,
for to you, Adonai, I lift my heart.
5 Adonai, you are kind and forgiving,
full of grace toward all who call on you.
6 Listen, Adonai, to my prayer;
pay attention to my pleading cry.
7 On the day of my trouble I am calling on you,
for you will answer me.
8 There is none like you among the gods, Adonai;
no deeds compare with yours.
9 All the nations you have made
will come and bow before you, Adonai;
they will honor your name.
10 For you are great, and you do wonders;
you alone are God.
11 Adonai, teach me your way,
so that I can live by your truth;
make me single-hearted,
so that I can fear your name.
12 I will thank you, Adonai my God,
with my whole heart;
and I will glorify your name forever.
13 For your grace toward me is so great!
You have rescued me from the lowest part of Sh’ol.
14 God, arrogant men are rising against me,
a gang of brutes is seeking my life,
and to you they pay no attention.
15 But you, Adonai,
are a merciful, compassionate God,
slow to anger
and rich in grace and truth.
16 Turn to me, and show me your favor;
strengthen your servant, save your slave-girl’s son.
17 Give me a sign of your favor,
so that those who hate me
will see it and be ashamed,
because you, Adonai,
have helped and comforted me.

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It had been a very busy morning. One task completed was stopping at the ATM to make a bank deposit. Then, I found a place to park some distance from the busy fast food place where I planned to get some lunch. I waited and made my selections. As the clerk totaled up my purchase I reached for my wallet—it wasn’t there. I had removed it to get my card for the ATM. I looked back and saw perhaps 20 people behind me in line. I explained my situation to the clerk. He looked as befuddled as me. “Here, let me get that for you,” a young man next to me extended his card to the cashier. “I’ll be happy to repay you,” I explained. “Don’t worry about it,” he said. “Just pay it forward when you get the chance.”
It is humbling to admit our poverty. Yet, it is the only way to become those Jesus called “the poor in spirit.” If I had not acknowledged my lack I may not have known my new friend’s generosity. In the same way, it is only when we humbly acknowledge our spiritual poverty that we can begin to experience the abundance of Christ’s kingdom.
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