Thursday, 03 March 2022
“And I prayed earnestly to the LORD GOD, pleading with Him, fasting, wearing sackcloth, and sitting in ashes. I prayed to the LORD my GOD and confessed the sins of my people. I said, “LORD GOD, You are great, and we honor You. You are faithful to Your covenant and show constant love to those who love You and do what You command. “We have sinned, we have been evil, we have done wrong. We have rejected what You commanded us to do and have turned away from what You showed us was right. We have not listened to Your servants the prophets, who spoke in Your name to our kings, our rulers, our ancestors, and our whole nation.” – Daniel 9:3-6 GNT
In the Old Testament, wearing sackcloths and covering oneself with ashes was a sign of humbling yourself before the LORD and showing complete repentance for where a person or a nation has gone wrong. Now we can look at that act today and say, that’s a little extreme and unnecessary in 2022. Yes, I don’t imagine many people are still practicing this, but GOD has not changed His mind about the importance of humbling ourselves and acknowledging where we are going wrong, and ultimately choosing to do right. Some of us have experienced seasons in which not a single door or window was open. Where it felt as though prayers were falling on deaf ears and a constant dark cloud was becoming a known companion. It is in those times where one would reflect on their attitude towards GOD and all He is about. You reflect on your heart attitude towards leadership in the church, how you respond to the word of God and His messages. Do you take what GOD is saying or do you choose what is meat and worth chewing on and deciding what is bones and is deserving of being spat out, because you don’t quite like the vessel delivering it or how it sits pitted against your sinful choices? Whatever it is, GOD is clear. Change comes when we change, not because we simply asked for things in prayer while we carry pride in our hearts like emblems.
“Then He said, “Don’t be afraid, Daniel. Since the first day you began to pray for understanding and to humble yourself before your GOD, your request has been heard in Heaven. I have come in answer to your prayer.” – Daniel 10:12 NLT
GOD cannot resist a humble heart. It is easy for Him to answer prayers offered from a humble and contrite heart than an arrogant one filled with pride. Yes we might not have to wear sackcloths and cover ourselves in ashes as a sign of humility, the act itself does not move GOD, but we need to make this act a heart matter, a matter of being humble before the LORD. Being able to say “LORD, I come to You praying that You show me where I went wrong and give me the grace to choose and do better. Fix my heart Jesus.” In some cases even going to those we have wronged or disobeyed and asking for forgiveness. God’s forgiveness towards us is seen in our relationship with Him and those around us blossoming. When we can hear and feel Him again and we see the evidence of His goodness in our lives we then know that we are in right standing with Him. One man in the Bible who understood the importance of remaining humble before the LORD was King David. He constantly reflected on and acknowledged where he went wrong and repented. And because of that, he was blessed even generationally.
“You have turned for me my mourning into dancing; You have put off my sackcloth and clothed me with gladness,” Psalms 30:11 NKJV. Considering where we are trying to go to as a people and as the church of Jesus Christ, disobedience, pride, arrogance, and such are characteristics we cannot afford to hang on to. This is a season of movement and elevation and anything weighing us down must be loosed. Elevation cannot take place when we are still heavy with pride.
Considering where we are trying to go to as a people and as the church of Jesus Christ, disobedience, pride, arrogance, and such are characteristics we cannot afford to hang on to
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