INGREDIENTS TOWARDS A RIPE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CREATOR John 13 HUMILITY

What Admiral Barry Black shared during his message is this:  The BIBLE (Basic Instruction Before Leaving Earth)  tells us that it is important to have a relationship with God and the ways in which to do so. 

Yesterday I shared with you the part about the Canaanite Woman and her passionate prayer that brought her favor.  Passionate prayer consists of Worship, Humility and Faith. 

Passionate Prayer is the first ingredient towards a ripe relationship with God.   Communication with Him is crucial in the life of a believer. 

The ingredient that I’m looking at today is: HUMILITY.  Jesus – The Master  displays the very character was humility.  First of all, He humbled himself by leaving His heavenly throne, clothing himself in mere human flesh so that he could redeem us back to our rightful place.  Then, in John 13, he humbles himself to his disciples.  The Master becomes the servant and washes their feet and dries them with his garment.  In Jewish culture, this was the ultimate show of humility.  So much so, Peter said ;Lord, I will never allow you to wash my feet’.  Jesus replied – “If you won’t permit me to wash your feet then we have nothing in common.  – you share no companionship with me.    The Master became the servant in order to form closer communion with them.

It reminds me of a video series I used to watch with my children.  Psalty the Singing Songbook.  The particular episode I’m thinking of is the one where Charity Churchmouse makes it to the bigtime with her singing career. Along her journey to fame and fortune, she learns that “If you wanna be great in God’s Kingdom, learn to be a servant of all.”

So. HUMILITY is an essential ingredient in the recipe towards a ripe relationship with GOD.

This Post is Inspired by The Canaanite Woman in Mathew 15:

This scripture was never one of my favorites.  I would get defensive about it because Jesus called the woman a dog; unfit for even crumbs from the Master's table.  But this past weekend I attended a Camp Meeting service a the SDA Allegheny East Conference in Pine Forge, PA.  The guest speaker was Admiral Barry Black.  Now, I had not been to camp meeting there in about 6 years, but when I heard that Barry Black was speaking, I put on my hat and went to hear him speak.  I was not disappointed.

As the Admiral spoke about the Canaanite women, I felt like her standing there in what felt like Laodicea.  But he took it further as he pointed out her Passionate Prayer that brought her favor.  She was a women not of Jewish heritage, so neglected to approach Jesus in the customary manner. This made the disciples irrate as they asked Jesus to just send her away.  They probably wonder why He was even listening to her.   She didn't know exactly how to express her love and adoration. Jesus didn't answer her.   Then he said he was only sent for the lost sheep of Israel - as was what His disciples believed.  But was that really true?  I think not!  She asked again, I imagine with a bit more humility this time. Lord.  My daughter.  May daughter is possessed by demons.  That's when Jesus turns to her and says 'It is not right to take the children's portion and give it to the dogs."   That's when I get pissed.  He calls the woman a dog.  But this time I read further and watched what actually was happening.  This woman was foreign to the belief,  But she ended up giving him the passionate prayer that he longed for from the Jews.. She doesn't come back at him offended to have been called a dog.  No, she humbles herself and offers worship and displays faith  ".Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters' table."  Wow.  

Pastor Black said "Jesus marveled at her.  No, she was not OF the faith, yet showed more faith than those born into it!  

 O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.