"Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. For this reason also, God highly exalted Him, and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and that every tongue will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father." Phi.2.8-11.NASB

"Whoever exalts himself shall be humbled; and whoever humbles himself shall be exalted." Mat.23.12.NASB

Were this not so heaven would be filled with angels, absent of man.

But as it is, the humility of Christ will fill heaven with those who through the suffering of repentance, confession, exercise of faith, and reception of him by grace alone, will stand by the throne of God clothed in the pure white robes of his righteousness.

The humility of Jesus clothes the suffering soul of faith in the same garment of his humility, a robe of righteousness with not "one thread of human of human devising (White).

We do not despise the chastening of our Father as he holds a bitter, necessary cup to your lips. It is held there by the nail-scarred hands of infinite pity who knows more than we what it means to "take and drink you all of it", this blood of the covenant spilled for us.

Christ did not die to prevent all suffering, not for now, but that we might endure all suffering and be with him then. Union with him in his suffering enables us to endure ours. The cross is our food and drink as we eat his flesh and drink his blood.

"“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in yourselves. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For My flesh is true food, and My blood is true drink. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him. As the living Father sent Me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats Me, he also will live because of Me. This is the bread which came down out of heaven; not as the fathers ate and died; he who eats this bread will live forever....Does this cause you to stumble? What then if you see the Son of Man ascending to where He was before? It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life." John 6.52-58, 61-63

Do you suffer in body and soul as your tempted in your journey through this wilderness of sin? Remember, it is God who is leading you and like Isaac of old under the knife of his father, you can trust the hand that slays you. Have faith. God has provided the true sacrifice to die for you, the only Son of God. Wait on God.

Why all this suffering? To teach us one lesson...

"You shall remember all the way which the Lord your God has led you in the wilderness these forty years, that He might humble you, testing you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord." Deut. 8.2,3

Just one lesson.

"Man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God" ~ Jesus in the wilderness, Mt. 4.4

Israel ultimately fell into idolatry, leaving the Word of Life for pleasing fables of men. Therefore, God sent his own Son to show how one could live in the wilderness of this world. The Christ of God achieved where we failed. His victory is thus offered as ours if we will do one thing.

Just one thing.

Live by him, the Word of God made flesh to dwell among us, not by bread alone.

In the life of faith, humility before God and man is born of grace to a complete dependence on God alone. Through faith enduring suffering, of God's leading and not our own making, trusting dependence on God increases as we draw "nearer, yet nearer" to the heart of God.

Are you tired of struggling in this world of sin? Do you long for the "quiet place of rest, near to the heart of God? Do you want to see Jesus? Would abiding with him satisfy your deep longing for the richness of his love?

Then hear and accept this simple word of Christ to your soul. Live by this word in the humility of faith and the promise will be yours for life.

Christ bids you "come and die" to self, to take up your cross daily to follow him, but only that you might live eternally in him, even now.

"Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light." Mt. 11.28,29