Humility and Grace

"......Clothe yourselves, all of you, with humility toward one another, for 'God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.'"  -1 Peter 5:5

I wrote today's Another Perfect Day 365 post about Humility and Grace.  As I was finishing it I looked out the window by my desk and saw the raindrops clinging to the Penstemon on the deck.   These flowers spread like crazy so I often dig them out of walkways and plant them in other beds.  These just showed up on their own volition in the planters on the deck.  The flower itself does not make a great show--it is quite small compared to the rest of the plant and is only one cluster at the top--but if you take the time to look closely, you see these delicate petals of pink.  To see them decorated with water droplets is an added treat!

It got me to thinking further about God's grace and how we can only receive it through humility.   In the moment that I looked out my window I experienced God's grace of living surrounded by nature in all its glory.  I've lived here for 36 years (as of this week, in fact)--more than half my life--and can easily take its beauty for granted when I dwell on what is not perfect in my life.  This explains why we can only experience God's grace in our moments of humility.  When I am not humble it is because I'm ascribing my idea of perfection to my life--not God's idea of perfection.  For me, perfection means no problems.  But God doesn't have problems--He only has opportunities.  When I am looking for my idea of perfection what I am really doing is exercising my pride.  I am taking ownership of all that I have--whether its possessions or people--and no longer acknowledging God's ownership of ME.  

Humility restores my proper place in God's intention for me.  And when I am right with God His grace is sufficient.  

Father, moment-by-moment I experience the joy of my salvation when I acknowledge you are God and I am your child.

Link to scripture:  James 4:6-10

Take action: Grace to the Humble