There is a good or holy pride and a bad pride too, right? Do you know the difference? There is the overweening self-absorbed narcissism that demands attention for itself. That’s ugly, bad and destructive. But, there is the other sense of feeling good about one’s association with others or a cause. This is born of humility and gratitude. Its the kind of pride that allows one to hold their head high, even in difficulty. God wants His people to have a sense of good pride that comes from faithfulness and obedience rewarded by His presence, provision, and protection.
Do not make idols or set up an image or a sacred stone for yourselves, and do not place a carved stone in your land to bow down before it. I am the Lord your God. Observe my Sabbaths and have reverence for my sanctuary. I am the Lord. “‘If you follow my decrees and are careful to obey my commands, I will send you rain in its season, and the ground will yield its crops and the trees their fruit. Your threshing will continue until grape harvest and the grape harvest will continue until planting, and you will eat all the food you want and live in safety in your land. I will grant peace in the land, and you will lie down and no one will make you afraid. I will remove wild beasts from the land, and the sword will not pass through your country. You will pursue your enemies, and they will fall by the sword before you. Five of you will chase a hundred, and a hundred of you will chase ten thousand, and your enemies will fall by the sword before you. I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you. You will still be eating last year’s harvest when you will have to move it out to make room for the new. I will put my dwelling place among you, and I will not abhor you. I will walk among you and be your God, and you will be my people. I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt so that you would no longer be slaves to the Egyptians; I broke the bars of your yoke and enabled you to walk with heads held high. Leviticus 26:1-13 NIV
What idols capture my attention? How observant and reverent am I toward the Lord and His sanctuary? Do I carefully follow His decrees and commands?
God, as this day begins- what promises You had for Your people of old. What promises remain for me today? Oh, how I wish this nation (America) would turn to You and observe Your commands. We are lost! Perhaps the climate alarmists would care less about carbon emissions and a bit more about obedience to Your Holy Law?! Then, perhaps the abundance of rain and crops and fruit trees would be ours. All of this begins in me. You certainly have blessed my life. May I in turn be pleasing in Your sight.
