14 / Thursday

But he answered, “It is written, “‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that comes from the mouth of God.’” —Matthew 4:4

This is week 2 of Lent–our focus is humility through simplicity:

Warm-Up:

Read Zechariah 9:9–10:

“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall speak peace to the nations; his rule shall be from sea to sea, and from the River to the ends of the earth.”

Round 1:

Pray:

“God, You rode a donkey and came in peace, humbling Yourself and giving Yourself for us. I confess my lack of humility. As You entered Jerusalem, the crowds shouted “Hosanna: ‘Save us now!’” On Good Friday they shouted “Crucify!” I confess that my praise is often conflicted. I sing “Hosanna,” but cry “Crucify.” Too often I forget who I am and whose I am. Forgive me, Lord, for forgetting this and help me to learn how to walk in humility! Amen.

Round 2:

The first key to humility is understanding WHO you are…

Write down the following phrase:

• I know who I am. I am a child of God and in Him I live, and move and have my being. (Acts 17:28)

Round 3:

The second key to humility is understanding WHOSE you are…

Write down the following phrase:

• I know whose I am. I belong to God, body and soul. He is my Maker and nothing can separate me from His love. (Romans 8:38-39)

Burn Out:

Today’s simplicity challenge (suggested by author Richard Foster): enjoy something you don’t have to own.

Today, enjoy something without owning it. Owning things is an obsession in our culture. If we own it, we feel we can control it; and if we can control it, we feel it will give us more pleasure. The idea is an illusion. Enjoy a walk in the forest without feeling you have to buy a piece of it.