Self-Denial and God-glorifying
There was so much in this book about William Duma that I'm going to do some more devotions on it next week. Today I want to talk about a meeting he had with a lady who said as she came to meet him, “she knew instantly that he was utterly free of self-consideration and with a heart to take everyone in.”
That's a lovely phrase. I wonder if people sense that in all of us who are Christ followers.
Self-Denial Growth
And as he was talking to this lady about the spiritual quality that he had, he said this: “Early I discovered that for me, as for all God's children, the essential requirement in all prayer is saying no to oneself in regard to God's will. This is sometimes an agony, but always a painful discipline. We so glibly say hallowed be thy name, thy Kingdom come, but when we stumble onto thy will be done, we get very tangled up. Without no to oneself continually, there can be little spiritual growth, if any.”
Do you hear that today? Without self-denial, so that God's fullness can fill us, there's not much spiritual growth.
Glory to God
Then he says this, and it links with what we spoke about on Wednesday about pride. He said this: “When grateful people pour out their thanks and praise for what my prayers have done in my soul, I cry out to God. Take your glory, Lord, I will not touch it.”
Oh, wow. Take your glory, Lord. I will not touch it. Is that the prayer of your heart? Lord, I am not interested in glory. It's all yours. Take your glory. It's not about me.
That's an incredible prayer to pray. And I believe, friends, that we're all called to pray it. Take your glory, Lord.
And so let's join William Duma today and say no to ourselves and engage in some self-denial in our prayers. And then let's say take your glory, Lord, I will not touch it. It belongs to him. And him alone.
And that's the title of his book. Take your glory, Lord. I hope you'll find it and read it yourselves.
God bless you, friends. Have a blessed weekend. Take care.
