"'For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the house of Judah to cling to ME,'" says the LORD, 'that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear'" (Jeremiah 13:11).
My tired hands are throbbing, shooting countless feelings through the nerve endings to my brain; I'm happy to feel this way, and when I am completely worn down, usually, I am suseptable to rest--sleep. The same goes for my pride. When it is proven wrong circumstance after circumstance, usually, I will lay away my reluctance, my haughty or fearful attitude and be swept away by the brilliance of God's perfect wisdom.
He whispers loudly. Boldly He shows me His ways. As it happens to be during the work day, I am usually backed up with at least forty tires hanging on the line, in need of repair. And I tend to stress about them and the million others awaiting my attention. A week goes by, points out a co-worker, and you finally get to that one, or that one which must be rushed back to customer today. Rush is not my man Friday I will tell you that. Fast, unless it has two all beef paddies and loads of cheese and onions and pickles and a side of fries, is not my cup of tea. O LORD, I think aloud, muffled under the clamor and the rushing cyclone of the production plant, GIVE ME SPEED!
Patience was on the agenda before those 1,000,040 tires came along--then my prayer turned to Grand Turismo, Tour de Speedy Gonzales, tire repair. Patience is a lesson, not a "gimme" I have learned. And what correlation will this have to the verse I quoted above? I'm not sure; I'm tired. Pride, however, ruins us. We get to the point where we demand something from God, and when we finally realize how pathetic we have become when we lash out against Him for not giving to us the request we want, we (usually) understand that we weren't clinging to His will. We, in our stupified pride, have answered the door which temptation was knocking on a moment before, trampled with delightful lies which tickle our ears with "sweet nothings" until we, if only for a few moments, believe that we actually need this thing or that thing. Cling to the Rock.
"Hear and give ear; do not be proud, for the LORD has spoken. Give glory to the LORD your God before HE causes darkness, and before your feet stumble on the dark mountains, and while you are looking for light, He turns it into the shadow of death and makes it dense darkness. But if you will not hear it, my soul will weep in secret for your pride; my eyes will weep bitterly and run down with tears, because the LORD's flock has been taken captive" (Jeremiah 13:15-17).
