There is None Like You, God!

Last Sunday my pastor, Pastor Rob, told us about the revival meetings that another local church was having and that they had asked other local churches to lift them up in prayer. Well, it seems that no one was taking them up on the offer, accept Pastor Rob. The revival is a 12 day event and Pastor Rob asked 120 people to gather this Friday evening to pray.

Well, it became more than prayer. There was worship and then we watched the message brought by Matt Chandler that night. When I pulled into the parking lot there weren't many cars and even though it was a little before 7, when it was supposed to begin, I wasn't sure that 120 people would show up.

The time of prayer and worship was wonderful! There was a time when we were asked to pray alone and ask God to search our hearts. This was the sweetest part of the prayer and worship time for me. I had been thinking lately about pride and I spent this time talking with God about prayer.

I think pride is interesting. There is obvious pride. Everyone knows a prideful person, someone who brags about EVERYTHING! But there is a much more subtle pride. The kind of pride that no one else seems to notice as pride, the kind you don't even realize is pride. The kind that says, "I have to do this. I have to do this well. I have to do this well enough to see positive results. I have to do this well enough to see positive results that others notice."

Now I am a teacher and I want my students to be successful. I want them to all do well academically. I want them all to pass the states test, the thing that unfortunately measures them and me. Okay, so the above statement comes into effect because it's my job and if I want to keep it I need to have positive results that others notice. But, for me, this has become a point of pride. I work really hard to make sure the kids get what they need. My day is full of instruction, small group work, and one on one. That is very important to me because I believe it helps them learn and I believe it will help them when it comes state test time. BUT I want others to notice. I want them to see all my hard work and be impressed. Since I'm being honest, I want them to be so impressed that they try to be like me. Ugh, that made me cringe to even right, but it's true.

So that is one thing that God and I have been talking about. I have been trying to still do the job I believe that being a teacher is, but giving Him the glory for it. When someone compliments me I have to check the pride and remember Who gave me the abilities to be the teacher that He made me. I also need to be checked to remember that there is always areas that I need to improve in.

Then there is the awesome things He has done in me in the last year or so. I feel like the me of before 2011 is a very different person. He has moved me outside my comfort zone so much in the last year. This blog is something WAY outside my comfort zone. Going to Haiti, wasn't even on my radar, but He took me there. Becoming a Life Group leader and having it be for seekers is still such a scary thought, but I know He is telling me to do it.

So could I like at the last year and see all my accomplishments? Yes, I could and have. Ouch, once again, pride. I DID NOT do anything. I could have tried to do those things in my own strength and they would have failed. He DID it! Yes, I had to be willing, but He did all the work.

So back to last night. After we prayed and worshipped we watched the message. Guess what? It's not about us, it's not about me. It's all about His glory! It was a straight to the heart message. It was a pull no punches, but done in such a wonderful way message that I knew it was a God message. I walked away from it speechless. (By the way exactly 120 showed up to pray!)

I got in my car, and prayed like they asked us to pray as we left. Then a phrase kept repeating over and over in my heart, my head, and out of my mouth. "There is none like You, God!" Wow, even writing it now stirs in me. I went to bed saying it instead of praying, which is what I would normally do. I woke up in the night saying it. I woke up this morning saying it. I knew I had to write it and share it with you. I guess if you want God to deal with your subtle pride, or if you don't want it but need it, He will show you that there is none like Him!