SOAP 09/09/2011; Obediah (1:) 3

Today's reading: Lamentations 1,2; Obadiah; Revelation 14

S)"³ “The arrogance of your heart has deceived you,
You who live in the clefts of the rock,
In the loftiness of your dwelling place,
Who say in your heart,
‘Who will bring me down to earth?’"

Obediah 3 (NASB)
(1 chapter book)

O) Literally, God is talking to Edom, the descendants of Esau. Like many other passages in the Bible, though, the symbolism here is very applicable to our lives today. First of all, the biggest difficulty with arrogance, is that it is blind. Very few people have honest self-awareness to admit, or even recognize, that they have an arrogant heart. From there, arrogance will absolutely deceive people into thinking they are more secure than those around them. The arrogance can come in the form of physical security, like the above example, but owning my own home can't protect me from the economy. Then there are less obvious, but more eternal issues. Being a good guy isn't going to fill my life with joy, and it's also not going to get me into heaven. The bottom line is that, we can never be confident in our own answers, our own strength, our own goodness. Ultimately, because our own is never good enough, if we try to pass it off like it is, that's arrogance.

A) Since an arrogant person seldom recognizes it in themselves, the only way I can combat arrogance is to purposefully chase humility. I need to profess that it is God who provides my economic means. It is God who fills my life with joy. It is God who paid my way into heaven, through the sacrifice of Jesus Christ. It is God who fill-in-the-blank! God is the only reason I have anything good in my life. He is the only reason I am capable of work; He's the only reason I have any meager talent; He is the only reason I have breath in my lungs.

P) Father, I owe everything I am to You, God. That's a debt I can never repay. The amazing thing is, that You will never ask me to try. That's true grace. You loved me when I was completely unlovable. You redeemed me when I was completely worthless. Holy Spirit, whatever it takes, humble me before the LORD if I ever fail to humble myself. Remind me of Your every salvation, God. I am eternally grateful for Your eternal grace. In Jesus' name, I pray. Amen.