Waterfront Church

DAY 11

I choose Humility.

"For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted (Luke 14:11)."

Down is much easier to come by than up, but the pain that happens in the process is most of the time anything but pleasant. Gravity pulls at us all, and through strength and effort we resist it because to fall usually means scrapes and bruises. Falling is no fun. It makes you look weak and vulnerable, and it's something that most of us desperately want to avoid. But in God's upside down kingdom the opposite is true.

Jesus didn't arrive as a giant among men but as a child in a manger. God could have arranged a castle and guards for him, but he didn't even have a room. He could have had a wealthy endowment, yet he was a poor carpenter. This lowly position, which to the world might sound weak and pathetic, is really heavenly and eternal. Humility is the foundation of all righteousness.

The counterintuitive nature of taking last place is actually the remedy to all our anger, frustration, and bitterness. All of our self-protection and self-promotion comes out of our search for and/or belief in our own significance. But when we accept the notion that others matter more than we do, we are freed up from the competition of life. Choosing humility sets us free from the bondage of sin that attempts to raise us up on our own strength rather than the strength of the Holy Spirit that is within us.

In all he did, Christ was obedient to the Father, taking the position of servant, which was, in the eyes of the world, the lowliest position one could hold. What remains for us, therefore, is the obedience that Christ exemplified. Nothing could be more backward in today's culture than choosing humility.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose humility. If Jesus could get low and serve, so should I. I admit it, Lord—that’s hard for me. Help me embrace this new reality that down is up and realize that it's not something you can do for me it's something that I have to choose for myself.

DAY 12

I choose Waiting.

"I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord (Psalm 27:13-14)."

Waiting can be uncomfortable. It’s not just that we live in an impatient society, and it’s not just that we can be selfish, and it’s not just that we tend to want life on our own terms - it’s that waiting requires surrender. Sometimes waiting can feel like we're giving up. But David reminds us in Psalm 27 that waiting strengthens the one who waits.

God doesn’t ask us to wait to torment us. He sees what we can’t and wants to give us more than we’re currently asking for. The great irony is that in all the times I’ve ignored God’s “wait” and taken matters into my own hands, a lot of precious time was wasted. But those that wait on Him will experience joy that far surpasses any temporary pleasure that comes with forging ahead alone. As we turn to the one who promises to give all that we ask, we learn that waiting on Him isn't weakness but strength.

We need to understand that what happens during the waiting is vitally important to God. The waiting is where God strips us of all self-sufficiency and endows us with His sufficiency. What we do during the waiting dictates whether our lives will be defined by worship or whining, whether we will become better or bitter. Allow the waiting to do its work and you will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose waiting. I am often fearful and full of doubt when I see so much turbulence around me. My resources aren’t sufficient, my wisdom can’t plot a way out, and my ingenuity can’t remove the pressure. But You know all about that. Forgive me for the times I’ve strived to do too much, and forgive me for the times I’ve worried and doubted You. Teach me to trust and wait.

DAY 13

I choose Kindness.

"Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience (Colossians 3:12)."

If you are a follower of Jesus, then kindness has to be what you dish out on a regular basis. Treating people with kindness keeps our hearts and attitudes running in the right direction. Kindness involves giving of ourselves in love and mercy to others who may not be able to give anything back, who sometimes don’t deserve it, and who frequently don’t thank us for it. Basically kindness means a way of thinking that leads to doing thoughtful deeds for others.

Why does God want us to demonstrate kindness? Because we are His instruments to extend lovingkindness and mercy to the world. We are to reflect the light and example of His compassion, mercy and goodness. When we show kindness we are becoming like Him.

Paul's words to the Colossians remind us that kindness is a choice. Every day we choose what we wear and it's what we show the world. Kindness should be something that we put on each day and allow it to fully cover our words and actions.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose kindness. Thank you, heavenly Father, for treating us kindly in Christ. Fill us with your Holy Spirit so that others will see Jesus living in us as we show kindness to them.

DAY 14

I choose the Light.

"When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, 'I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life (John 8:12).'”

We all know what it's like to find our way in the darkness. We have learned the hard way that trying to walk around in the dark can lead to lots of bumps and bruises. In John's gospel, Jesus reminds us that He is the Light of the World. When we walk in the light of His teaching and in His commandments, He will light our way and we will never walk in darkness. His light will guide us and keep us from stumbling into temptation.

When Jesus makes this statement, He’s not delivering a sermon or speaking intimately with His disciple. The Pharisees tried to trick Him into blasphemy. They brought before Him a woman caught in adultery – read the story in John 8:1-11 – and wanted Him to condemn her. Instead, Jesus confronts the crowd and dignifies the woman.

It's in this setting that Jesus said to them “I am the light of the world." For the woman who had her sin exposed to the world, I can't imagine a darker moment in her life. And yet it was in that darkness that the light of Jesus set her free. For the crowd who was caught up in the commotion, I can't imagine a darker atmosphere to be in. And yet it was the light of Jesus that pointed them towards redemption.

We need the light of Jesus because it sets us free from the darkness within us and the darkness around us. It leads us into redemption and brings us life. We will always find life when we walk in the light.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose the light. Jesus, thank you for guiding me out of the darkness and into the light. I know that by following your ways it will lead me to a better life.

DAY 15

I choose Faith.

"Suddenly a furious storm came up on the lake, so that the waves swept over the boat. But Jesus was sleeping. The disciples went and woke him, saying, 'Lord, save us! We’re going to drown!' He replied, 'You of little faith, why are you so afraid?' Then he got up and rebuked the winds and the waves, and it was completely calm (Matthew 8:24-26)."

We place our faith in countless people and things. We believe our legs will support us, so we get out of bed. We believe our brakes will enable our car to stop, so we drive. We believe our boss will pay us, so we show up for the job. When we have faith in something, our behavior is affected. We act out of faith.

The opposite of faith is fear. We can choose one or the other. Matthew chapter 8 is full of stories about the fulfillment of God’s promises in peoples’ lives. If we really have faith that God works in these ways, it radically changes the way we live our lives. We are willing to address sin we’ve brushed under the rug because Jesus forgives and heals. We will step out and risk something for God because we know He’ll provide.

I know many people who are waiting for their mind to inform them or their emotions to lead them into a kind of faith in God that they see other people have. It never will. Faith is a matter of the will. It's a matter of decision. You'll never put enough information into your mind or enough emotion into your heart to have the kind of faith that you were meant to have.

Pray

I am chosen by God and I choose faith. Lord Jesus, may my faith in You and Your abundant promises be ever increasing each day.