Isaiah 2:17 – And the haughtiness of man shall be humbled, and the lofty pride of man shall be brought low, and the LORD alone will be exalted.
Lord God, in these verses and even in these opening chapters of Isaiah you come after your people for their pride, their arrogance. They counted how many bulls and sheep they brought as if the sheer volume of sacrifice would make you happy. They counted how many times they prayed. But this wore you out God! They were all about themselves and what they were doing for you. It’s easy for me to shake my head at their attitudes, but I see the same in myself. I take special pride in the times that I pray more and in the number of days I study your Word. I take special pride in the measurable ways in which I serve you. It’s like I’m keeping score of my devotion to you. But that wears you out! I’m not thinking of you when I do this, I’m thinking of myself! I’m thinking about me and what I’ve done. And it’s all no good. Whatever I think is righteous and good it’s full of sin, pride, and arrogance. It stinks to you! Oh God, forgive me. Though my sins are like scarlet, by the blood of your Son make me white like snow. Though my arrogance is red like crimson, by the life of your Son make me clean and pure like wool. And now, O Lord, help me to think about your more. Turn my thoughts and my attention to who you are and what you have done. Help me, O God, to think of myself less and to think about you more. Help me to meditate on you, your goodness and grace, all day long. Amen.
True humility is not thinking less of yourself; it is thinking of yourself less. – C.S. Lewis.