Pleasant Stone Devotional Meditation: August 10

“… Be not highminded, but fear” ~ Romans 11:20b

This is the “purple stone” which shows the other side of the suffering caused by our disobedience. We complain and chafe at the mere idea of “a broken and contrite heart.” We are “highminded” because we want to be. It is our very nature to be “highminded.” To possess hearts “puffed up” with pride of our own virtues and doings. This is natural.

Once more, may I remind you we are dealing with the supernatural. “Without me ye can do nothing,” said Jesus. Therefore when God’s Word admonishes us to “be not highminded, but fear,” we are being asked to do what we can not do naturally.

Invaded as we are, however, with the very life of God, with whom all things are possible this becomes possible also. Invaded as we are, by the very life of the One who demonstrated the humility of love on the Cross so clearly that even we can grasp it, we can learn to welcome the contrite heart. We can learn to go quickly with our broken hearts to the Heart that has already poured itself out at the moment it broke for our sakes at the place of Golgotha.

“Be not highminded, but fear.” “Watch and pray, lest ye enter into temptation.” And entering into temptation, means we have refused to flee it. Embracing it, we fall into isn and our highmindedness is seen to be what it is: “a stench in the nostrils of god,” because it leads His dear ones back into the miry pit. “Highmindedness” leads down to the pit. The affliction of the “broken and contrite heart” leads up to glory.

“For thou wilt save the afflicted people, but wilt bring down high looks.”