Keeping Humble

S "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance..."At that moment heaven was opened and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and lighting on Him, and a voice from heaven said, "This is my Son, whom I love, with him I am well pleased" Matthew 3:8, 16b-17

O It is such a contrast to see how the Pharisees approached John. They seem to need a caution from John perhaps their motives were not congruent with what they were allowing him to do - that is to be baptised for their sins. Previously in Matthew the scriptures said that "People were coming from everywhere". Perhaps they thought they had better do the same thing - but God judges the heart. It is the heart that is supreme.So John cautions them that it is the fruit of their repentance that needs to be demonstrated. In contrast, Jesus, who is God, allows John to baptise him and we see heaven open and it must have been a wondrous majestic sight and God is well pleased. Jesus' heart was right in humility and reverence. What a paradox - that God himself saw the need to humble himself in order to be God - and man saw no such need to humble himself because he thought he was God. Nothing has changed since The Fall.

A To watch my heart. To make sure I never get so proud that I don't need to be at the throne of mercy and grace daily. To watch that I don't start to believe that I am God , or that I start to live independently from Him, believing my status, my gifts, my skills, my talents etc are sufficient.

P Oh God, How I need you to stop me from falling into the same trap as the Pharisees. To believe that I am all sufficient. I desire to develop the fruits of repentance and not pride. To keep humble. I want you to be well pleased with me because of the state of my heart. Oh Jesus, I pray. Help me in this. Amen

Daily Readings - Matthew 2:13-3:17