The Presumption of Pride
By Sheila Martinez


I awoke this morning thinking about the words we have been looking at -- pride, rebellion, obedience - even to divination and witchcraft.

As I was again reading the pride study online yesterday the word that really jumped out to me was the definition of pride that resides in the act of presumption.

This is the study's definition:
Pride ~ Hebrew word "zadown" - pronounced (zaw-done): meaning to seethe, to be insolent, presume, arrogance, haughtiness.

The picture that came to me was of when my son was a bit younger, but old enough to know better. He was jumping on the furniture and when confronted he said something like "Aw, it is just a sofa!"

And you know what I had to say about that!

But as I remembered the event the Lord brought to mind how often I presume on His love and concern without even seeking him.

I know I have really been hurt by my kids when they take me - my time and my efforts-- for granted. So often as they were growing up they would have an attitude of "Oh, it's nothing - no big deal -- mom will do it."

It seemed as if no love was shown, no concern of what it would take; no concern of how tired I would be after work. No care for the time and cost - just presuming that life was there to serve them.

And yet, God says we are to be servants of others.

I often thought I was a failure as a mom -- but then I saw the pattern in the bible where the generations swing back and forth. One generation that seemed to do the work it takes, then the next one gave to much leniency -- because they didn't want their children to "suffer" like they did.

But they forgot that the life they walked through is what made them able to be who they are - and caused them depend on God.

While we may desire to raise our children with more compassion and love, training and discipline is what is required and often it is not required to the degree necessary to bring about understanding and create a place of wisdom that can only come by experience..

The word says rebellion is found within the heart of man -- and that unfortunately includes our children -- and us!

So how is our training going? Are we kicking against the pricks today? Or are we bringing ourselves captive to Him who loves us truly? Captive to the Love that sees with true sight and is out for our true good? A love that doesn't operate out of old habits and old memories of hurt and pain.

I was listening to teaching this morning and the very teaching confirmed these thoughts.

2 Chronicles 26 tells us about King Uzziah. He had great success while He sought the Lord -- and he did not presume on God to begin with. But he was caught in the trap of presuming and began to lean on his opinions of life and his opinion of himself -- and it led to his destruction.

2 Chronicles 26:3 says:

Uzziah was sixteen years old when he became king, and he reigned in Jerusalem fifty-two years. His mother's name was Jecoliah; she was from Jerusalem. 4 He did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, just as his father Amaziah had done. 5 He sought God during the days of Zechariah, who instructed him in the fear of God. As long as he sought the LORD, God gave him success.

Unfortunately, King Uzziah got comfortable in his success and forgot how he got there. Forgot it was by pursuing God that his success was accomplished.. He got sidetracked -- distracted by his successful life and the great things he had accomplished. He became entertained by his life and quit pursuing God. He presumed that all would continue the same just because it was now.

He forgot even to the point of his ears becoming as stone, so he was not able to HEAR the word coming to him -- and it lead to sickness and death.

This has made me ask God to show me if I am even anywhere near this place - to show me where any presumption dwells in my life -- and if it is affecting my health.

Consider the word presumption-
PRE: as in preceding -- going before God, stepping out without putting Him first.

SUMPTION : assuming that I am going to be ok regardless -- causing a "consumption", which is a "con", defined as an opposition or disagreement; against: debate. An argument or opinion against something. One who holds an opposing opinion or view.

And it led to sickness and death. A consumption - A consuming fire found in the pit - where rebellion is king.

Uzziah had given himself over to this place and was not able to stop the driving force of pride once it entered into his life -- and, sadly he lost his life.

Isaiah saw the Lord after Uzziah died. He watched this great man of God fall and die - because Uzziah walked unaware.

Uzziah was lured into a place where he forgot, led by his own heart of pride into a place where he relaxed. He began to live his life in this specific season without the Giver of the Life. He had achieved much with the blessing of the Lord --and he was given the ability to prosper. It was now present no longer and he was not thinking clearly anymore -- and caught in an unthinking, disconnected, thought process he lost everything.

2 Chronicles 26:16
But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense. 17 Azariah the priest with eighty other courageous priests of the LORD followed him in. 18 They confronted him and said, "It is not right for you, Uzziah, to burn incense to the LORD. That is for the priests, the descendants of Aaron, who have been consecrated to burn incense. Leave the sanctuary, for you have been unfaithful; and you will not be honored by the LORD God."
19 Uzziah, who had a censer in his hand ready to burn incense, became angry.

(That contention and anger that pride makes a way for -- as the Vine3 study brought to light)

While he was raging at the priests in their presence before the incense altar in the LORD's temple, leprosy broke out on his forehead. 20 When Azariah the chief priest and all the other priests looked at him, they saw that he had leprosy on his forehead, so they hurried him out. Indeed, he himself was eager to leave, because the LORD had afflicted him.
21 King Uzziah had leprosy until the day he died. He lived in a separate house —leprous, and excluded from the temple of the LORD. Jotham his son had charge of the palace and governed the people of the land.

The word tells us to bind the word of God on our forehead - to keep it before us at all times, that we may not sin against Him. The leprosy broke out right on King Uzziah's forehead. Right where the problem was - the word of the Lord leading him was missing and the sign of destruction appeared - sin, sickness, death.

I am praying today that we will let God show us where we each are residing today -- whether in seeking Him in spirit and truth, or in presumption at any level. Whether a presumption that is very evident to the eye, or so subtle that it is as a little fox seeking to destroy the vine.

Lord, show us ourselves - and heal us, we pray. Mold us and make us - teach us and train us. Let us not fail you in any way, as you are the desire of the heart that seeks life and YOU are the Life we seek.

Amen.

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