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Topic: Pride (04/12/04)
TITLE: P R I D E By Phyllis Inniss 04/17/04 |
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The kings of yore in all their pride
Heeded not the word of God, but vied
Against each other to prove how strong
Their armies were. It wasn’t long
Before Almighty God brought defeat –
Sickness, death and shame they did meet.
“God opposes the proud,
But gives grace to the humble.”
Sing heavenly praise to Him aloud
The mulish ones will surely stumble.
King Hezekiah saw that
he was dying
Prayed to the Lord as he was lying
On death’s dark door.
He knew not what God held in store
God answered him, gave him a sign
The king’s heart was proud, not benign
He did not respond until the wrath of God
Humbled him to call once more upon the Lord.
Arrogance and pride strut
Through the corridors of power
The doors to God’s voice shut
While men of low esteem before them cower
Stiff-necked pride rules and sways
The prophets’ voice of doom dismays
Not easily these lion-hearted kings
Who scoff and scorn the things
Their arrogance does not fear
While aspiring to glory, the fame they hold dear.
God’s promise ignored by King Ahaz
No greater Friend could he have had
But with the enemy of his enemies did he consort
To restore his ailing kingdom he had thought
To save Judah from ignominy and defeat
He remained faithless to God on his royal seat
Lost the bribe he paid to remedy his situation
Found himself in a much worse position
Could we the lesson learn from the past
God’s law comes before pride and caste
We seek Him first when we in trouble find
Ourselves. Man’s counsel is not the kind
To put before God’s divine love
We kneel and pray and look to Him above
For His wisdom, tender mercy and grace
Until that day when we see that heavenly place.