Prodigal: I like this rock.

Me: Yeah, it looks cool to the touch.

Prodigal: It is.

Me: While you are resting on that rock, I will share about another rock.

I am the smartest, prettiest, christian woman in this world. Is anyone laughing yet? I sure am. I could not write that sentence without laughing out loud. If you have not figured it out yet, that first sentence is not true at all. You may ask why would you believe that anyway? Well pride has a way of taking our thoughts and adding on to them until, we are the best in the whole wide world.

I have mentioned that the Lord has blessed me with a high intelligence. I have also mentioned that I struggle with pride. So you can imagine, how intelligence plus pride, developed in some not so humble conversations. Even if I did know the information, who would want to listen to how I presented it. Pride in speech closes the heart and ears of a person quickly.

It is sad to say but, when I was not following Christ, my pride grew over years and just became ugly. As I was humbled, God started opening my eyes to pride for the first time. During this time I had heard that God can take away things that you are prideful about. That started the ole gears tinkering away in my brain.

I started thinking about all sort of examples. If you were prideful about looks, could they go away? Well, yes. We grow older and gain weight. If you were prideful about job position, could that go away. Well yes, you could lose your job, the company could be sold. How about if you were prideful about how much money you have. We have all seen people lose money in stocks or in a a disaster. Then it hit me. Could I lose my intelligence. Yes, I could experience brain damage. I knew then that there was nothing on this earth God could not take away from me. I have heard every story imaginable about how God accomplishes that. Here is another story though.

Luke 19:37-40

And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen; Saying, “Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest. And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples. And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

So your ministry is going well, you have the smartest children, your bank account is full. You are popular, you make the best cookies, and you have the most friends. You can sing the best and you are smarter than others. In fact it is amazing how much you can do and how others are impressed. People always give you compliments. They always want your advice.

Well guess what? You can be replaced by a rock. Our works and gifts mean nothing to the Lord Jesus Christ. The Lord has a plan. The plan will unfold. His plan was to enter into Jerusalem and they were going to praise the King. While the people may have praised and rejoiced with all their hearts. Even if the King was happy with what was done, you can be replaced my a rock. See this plan is so much more than you or me. This is about what the Lord Jesus Christ has in store. You think you can go to Jesus and say this is how many years of service I have been working for you. These are my works. You then speak of how much the Lord needs you. Wrong heart attitude, remember you can be replaced by a rock.

So then you are obedient or the Lord replaces you. That is right. The Lord said he would replace the praise of men with stones. Yes, a job needs to be done for the Lord’s plans to work out. That job will be done. God can speak a word and anything can happen. He is asking you to join him in obedience so that you have the privilege of being used by God and also by being part of the glory of God folding out His plan for everyone.

You can say no. Or you can have a front row seat to the Glory of the Lord showing himself in amazing ways in front of a lot of people.

I don’t think I want to be replaced by a rock. Do you?

Luke 19:40

And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that , if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.

Jennifer Van Allen

www.theprodigalpig.com

www.faithincounseling.org