In The Spirit of Revival, pastor-theologian R. C. Sproul wrote, "A study of both Scripture and history shows that God usually brings revival through 'nobodies from nowhere,' humble people who lived in little-known places who in their own time were not considered celebrities."
Does this thought encourage you? It does me! It coincided perfectly with what Paul wrote to the Corinthian believers:
Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world's eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who thing they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God.- 1 Cor. 1:26-29, NLT
Sunday after the morning worship service, I was talking with a Christian brother who was sporting a T-shirt that communicated a biblical truth (offhand I can't recall exactly what it was). I mentioned a few ties that my wife had gotten me for Christmas in years past. One had the Lord's Prayer written on it; another had a beautiful script of John 3:16 (I wore that tie just yesterday, in fact); another shows the books of the Bible. My friend mentioned another T-shirt he owns that says,
I'm just a nobody trying to tell everybody
about a Somebody who can save anybody.
Such a perspective quells pride, promotes holiness, exalts Christ, and enhances our Gospel witness.
We are in the midst of a Week of Prayer at my church. Our theme for this week is repentance. One verse we've considered is Isaiah 57:15:
For thus says the High and Lofty One who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: "I dwell in the high and holy place, with him who has a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones."
C. J. Mahaney got it right when he wrote, "God is decisively drawn to humility.... This is the promise of humility. God is personally and providentially supportive of the humble." I close with the following prayer taken from the Puritan devotional classic, The Valley of Vision:
Lord, high and holy, meek and lowly,
Thou hast brought me to the valley of vision,
where I live in the depths but see Thee in the heights;
hemmed in by mountains of sin I behold Thy glory.
Let me learn by paradox
that the way down is the way up,
that to be low is to be high,
that the broken heart is the healed heart,
that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,
that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,
that to have nothing is to possess all,
that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,
that to give is to receive,
that the valley is the place of vision.
Lord, in the daytime stars can be seen from deepest wells,
and the deeper the wells the brighter Thy stars shine;
Let me find Thy light in my darkness,
Thy life in my death,
Thy joy in my sorrow,
Thy grace in my sin,
Thy riches in my poverty,
Thy glory in my valley.