If My People

As I was reading 2 Chronicles 7:13-14 this morning, I looked at it in a different light. It says, "If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people; If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land". I began to think about all the ways God has blessed us and I realized that when we forget to recognize God's blessings, we get prideful and self-important. Proverbs tells us that pride comes before the fall of man but when we delight ourselves in God, He will give us the desires of our heart. I can't help but think of my 5 month old daughter who knows nothing right now but what she wants. Her world revolves around herself and what she desires. There will come a day that I will expect her to realize that although she brings me so much joy I can hardly contain it, the world does not revolve around her. I will expect her to show respect for others and be thankful for the things Andy and I provide for her. One way I can teach her this is for me to always show true humility and love my neighbor as myself. I do not want her to see her parents as prideful people who reject God's gifts but as thankful people who recognize that it is by God's grace we live and move and have our being.