The donkey awakened, savoring something pleasant.
He arched his neck, walking around with prancing steps…..”that group of people” he said,
” I will go over and show myself to them.” They took no notice.
“Throw your garments down” he said crossly. “Don’t you know who I am?”
They stared at him in amazement and someone threw a stone.
“Miserable unbelievers” he muttered as he turned away in rage.
“I’ll go down to the market, some good people are sure to be there. But it was the same.
“The palm branches, where are the palm branches !!” he shouted, have you forgotten?
dazed, he returned home to his mother.
“Foolish child” she said gently
“Without him, you are nothing”
This story was- the day after- that Jesus rode the donkey into Jerusalem.
Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.
The donkey thought it was for him.
2 Kings 15:2
This is the story of King Azariah, the 10th king of Judah
2 Chronicles 26:1-23- He is referred to King Uzziah
A story about how his personal arrogance became his personal downfall
He did right in the sight of the Lord but did not quite yield himself fully to the Lord
He became king at age 16 and the Lord greatly blessed him early in life with power, success and prosperity. His success was attributed to his faithfulness and reliance on God.
The people of Judah held the king in high regard during his reign. He was a strong and capable leader who brought prosperity, stability, and military success to the kingdom.
Sometime during his 52 year reign as king, his heart became proud due to his achievements.
He attempted to perform the duties of the priest which were not his to perform.
He went into the temple to burn an incense on the alter. He was confronted by the priests who opposed of him being in the temple burning incenses. He became enraged.. enraged at the priests. The Lord struck him with leprosy as a punishment and he lived out the rest of his life in a separate house, isolated with leprosy and his son Jotham governed the kingdom.
His kingdom still prospered; God just took away his health.
His achievements made him arrogant, causing him to overstep his boundaries.
His pride led to his own downfall
Proverbs 16:5:
“The Lord detests all the proud of heart. Be sure of this: They will not go unpunished.”
James4:6
“But he gives us more grace. That is why Scripture says: ‘God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble.'”
I just about didn’t write a personal journey about how my life is/was like this king as I have always
been blessed and thankful for what I have, never boisterous. I have what I have because of God, and I am not like this king at all…… so onto my study of the next king.
I woke up this morning and God convicted my heart of a time that I was boisterous. very boisterous.
What a shameful moment that made me feel awful.
My grandson required out of town trips to see doctors that specialized in muscular dystrophy.
many many years ago, my husband surprised me one day with a hybrid car. A car with great gas mileage.
I was often approached by strangers asking about my car as hybrids weren’t seen much in our town yet.
I was starting to feel “special”
I remember driving to Salt Lake City and stopping halfway for gas. Pulling into the gas station,
I could feel that sense of “proud” coming over me.
Hey everyone…. here I am, look at my hybrid car pulling in, notice me, compliment my car,
I felt like that proud donkey showing off.
I can’t remember how long that feeling of “proud” lasted, but I do remember feeling disgusted that I acted like that way.
We can learn a lot of valuable lessons from King Uzziah and the dangers of pride.
God has known from the beginning that people are prone to fall away when they got to be successful.
He had Moses warn the Israelites about success.
Deuteronomy 8:11-17
verse 11- be careful that you do not forget the lord your God
verse 13- when your herd, flocks, silver and gold multiply
verse 14- then you heart will become proud, and you will forget the Lord your God
verse 17- you may say in your heart, my power and the strength of my hand made me wealth.
With blessings, one must be cautious of pride and entitlement. Just because God has chosen to bless you does not mean you can do as you please, as done by Uzziah who entered the temple to burn incense on the altar, a role designated for the priest. Publicly boasting.
Galatians 6:3: “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
As we count our blessings, let us always remember that all our blessing come from God’s grace and not by our own merits. Pride tempts us to believe that our achievements are the result of our efforts, leading us down a path of entitlement and self-reliance.
As Proverbs 16:18 warns, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.”
Let us choose the path of humility, knowing that
James 4:6 “God opposes the proud but shows favor to the humble”
By humbling ourselves before God and giving Him the glory for our blessings, we align ourselves with His will and open our hearts to His abundant grace.
Let us nurture a spirit of gratitude and humility, always remembering that every good and perfect gift is from above. In doing so, we honor God and experience the true joy and peace that comes from living a life anchored in His love and grace.
Don’t be like the donkey who misunderstood its importance, without the presence of Jesus, it is just an ordinary animal. The donkey’s pride is humbled by the realization that its significance came from serving Christ.
Join me on my journey paved by God’s guidance – I invite you to join me and find inspiration in the remarkable ways God moves in our lives (echosofmyfootsteps.com)
