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November 30 - A Humble Prayer 겸손한 기도

피트초이 2024. 11. 30. 15:31
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November 30 - A Humble Prayer 

 

For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.” – Matthew 23:12

 

 

Jesus has just told His disciples that the greatest among them would be servants to others (Matthew 20:26). This is the way of His kingdom. They will not find greatness in titles or seats of honor or the respect of other men. Greatness in His kingdom is only to be found in service (Matthew 23:11).  Those who seek prestige will find shame, and those who seek humility will find honor. This is more than a simple command from the LORD to be humble. It is a reminder that God works to humble—to lower, to shame—those who try to exalt themselves. At the same time, God works to lift and honor those who intentionally serve others with a humble spirit.

Peter heard this from Jesus with his ears. Later, he will write something similar in 1 Peter 5:6: "Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God so that at the proper time he may exalt you." As Paul writes to the Philippians, this is exactly what happened to Jesus: "And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on aacross. Therefore, God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name above every name so that in the name of Jesus, every knee should bow in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Every tongue confesses that Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father" (Philippians 2:8–11).

 

The greatest problem of our Christian life is that we do not pray. The world teaches us to think for ourselves, work for ourselves, and try our best with our strength. Christians are easily tempted to attain various goals with their strength. However, God provided us with a spiritual method—prayer. We cannot be a source of success. We can only pray in the Spirit and ask for all our needs to be met by God since He promised to fulfill all our needs: “And my God will meet all your needs according to his glorious riches in Christ Jesus” (Philippines 4:19). 

 

However, why are our lives still shallow? And why are we unable to receive what we want or need? It is because we do not ask. James 4:2 says, “You do not have, because you do not ask God.” We do not receive because our motivation and reasons are wrong. We ask with the wrong motives, thinking we may spend what we receive for pleasure (James 4:3). This kind of prayer will not reach God’s heart. It is not from the Spirit but from human desire. Like any other sin, wrong motives and pleasure-seeking lead us to death. 

 

The Apostle John spoke regarding the motives behind prayer. “This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us” (1 John 5:14). The focus of our Christian walk and the motives of our prayers should be alike. God calls us to live according to his will, giving up our selfish desires. Only when we live the kind of life in the Bible will God satisfy and hear us. When we pray, we should pray with a humble heart. God told us that He gives grace to the humble. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble” (James 4:6). Christians should be humble before God and others. Jesus said while pointing at a child, “Therefore, whoever humbles himself like this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven” (Matthew 18:4). When we humbly ask for His grace as a child of God, He will satisfy all our spiritual needs.

 

 

Today’s Prayer: Ask the Good Shepherd to touch the lives of those who have not yet put their trust in Him. Pray that they may experience his loving and redeeming care.

Prayer Pointer“Dear Jesus, do something.” – Vladimir Nabokov 

Bible Reading: Ezekiel 43-44; 2 Peter 2

 

 


 

11월 30일 - 겸손한 기도

 

“누구든지 자기를 높이는 자는 낮아지고 누구든지 자기를 낮추는 자는 높아지리라" - 마 23:12

 

 

 

예수님은 그의 제자들에게 다른 사람들의 종으로 섬기는 자가 큰 자이며 이것이 예수님 나라의 삶이라고 말씀하십니다(마 20:26). 예수님의 제자들은 호칭이나 어떤 명예로운 자리와 다른 사람들의 존경을 받음으로 위대해 지는 것이 아닙니다. 그의 나라의 위대함은 오직 섬김에에서 찾을 수 있습니다(마 23:11). 명성을 추구하는 사람은 수치를 얻게 되고 겸손을 추구하는 사람은 명예를 얻게 됩니다. 여기에 겸손하라는 주님의 말씀에는 명령 이상의 내용이 있습니다. 그것은 하나님은 자신을 높이려고 하는 자는 낮추시고 부끄럽게 하시고 동시에 하나님은 의도적으로 겸손한 마음으로 다른 사람을 섬기는 사람들을 높여 주시고 존경을 받을 수 있도록 역사하시고  일하신다는 것입니다.  

 

베드로는 이 예수님의 말씀을 직접 들었습니다. 그는 후에 베드로전서 5:6에서 비슷한 말씀을 기록하고 합니다. "그러므로 하나님의 능하신 손 아래에서 겸손하라 때가 되면 너희를 높이시리이라." 바울이 빌립보 교인들에게 서신을 보내면서 예수님의 사건을 기록합니다. "사람의 모양으로 나타나사 자기를 낮추시고 죽기까지 복종하셨으니 곧 십자가의 죽으심이라. 이러므로 하나님이 그를 지극히 높여 모든 이름 위에 뛰어난 이름을 주사 하늘에 있는 자들과 땅에 있는 자들과 땅 아래 있는 자들로 모든 무릎을 예수의 이름에 꿇게 하시고 모든 입으로 예수 그리스도를 주라 시인하여 하나님 아버지께 영광을 돌리게 하셨느니라"(빌 2:8-11).

 

우리 그리스도인들의 삶의 가장 큰 문제는 기도하지 않는 것 입니다. 세상은 스스로 생각하고, 자신을 위해 일하고, 자신의 힘으로 최선을 다하라고 가르칩니다. 그리스도인들도 자신의 힘으로 목표를 달성하려고 하다가 시험에 빠집니다. 그러나 하나님은 그리스도인들에게 영적인 방법인 기도의 특권을 주셨습니다. 하나님께서 우리의 모든 필요를 채워 주신다고 약속하셨기 때문에 성령 안에서 기도하여 모든 필요를 주님으로부터 받을 수 있습니다. “나의 하나님이 그리스도 예수 안에서 영광 가운데 그 풍성한대로 너희 모든 쓸 것을 채우시리라”(빌 4:19). 

 

왜 우리의 삶이 깊지 못합니까? 왜 우리의 필요와 원하는 것을 얻지 못합니까? 그 이유는 구하지 않기 때문입니다. 야고보서 4장 2절에“너희가 얻지 못함은 구하지 아니함이요”(약 4:2)라고 말합니다. 하나님께 구하여도 받지 못하는 것은 기도의 동기가 잘못되었기 때문입니다. 우리는 받은 것을 자신의 쾌락을 위해 사용하기 원하는 잘못된 동기로 구하는 것입니다(약 4:3). 이러한 기도는 성령의 인도를 받은 기도가 아니고 정욕에서 외기 때문에 하나님의 마음에 도달하지 않습니다. 다른 죄처럼 잘못된 동기와 쾌락을 위해 구하는 기도는 사망으로 인도합니다. 

 

요한은 기도의 동기를 “그를 향하여 우리의 가진 바 담대한 것이 이것이니 그의 뜻대로 무엇을 구하면 들으심이라”(요일 5:14)고 말합니다. 그리스도인의 삶과 기도의 동기는 같아야 합니다.  하나님께서 우리가 정욕을 버리고 하나님의 뜻을 따라 살도록 부르셨습니다. 말씀에 순종하면  기도의 응답을 받는 풍성한 삶을 살아갈 수 있습니다. 기도할 때 겸손한 마음으로 기도해야 합니다. 하나님은 겸손한 자에게 은혜를 주십니다. “그러나 더욱 큰 은혜를 주시나니 그러므로 일렀으되 하나님이 교만한 자를 물리치시고 겸손한 자에게 은혜를 주신다 하였느니라”(약 4:6).  그리스도인들은 하나님과 사람 앞에서 겸손해야 합니다. 예수님은 “그러므로 누구든지 이 어린아이와 같이 자기를 낮추는 그 이가 천국에서 큰 자니라”(마 18:4)라고 말씀합니다.  하나님의 자녀로서 겸손하게 은혜를 구할 때, 우리의 모든 영적인 필요가 채워지는 것입니다. 

 

 

오늘의 기도:  아직 주님을 믿지 않은 자들의 삶 가운데 역사하시도록 선한 목자에게 간구하고 그들이 주님의 사랑과 구속의 돌봄을 체험할 수 있도록 간구하십시오. 

기도 지침: “사랑하는 예수님, 무엇인가 행하십시오.” 브라디미트 나보코이

성경 읽기: 에스겔 43-44장; 베드로후서 2장

 

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