The Fierce Struggle

[Walter and Deborah]

 

Monday 5-16-22 2nd. Day Of The Weekly Cycle, Iyar 14, 5782 58th. Spring Day

Counting The Omer

WEEK 5 ― HOD ― HUMILITY

During the fifth week of counting the Omer, we examine and refine the emotional attribute of Hod or humility. Humility ― and the resulting yielding ― should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem. Hod or humility is modesty ― it is acknowledgment (from the root of the Hebrew word "hoda'ah").

It is saying "thank you" to God. It is clearly recognizing your qualities and strengths and acknowledging that they are not your own; they were given to you by God for a higher purpose than just satisfying your own needs. Humility is modesty; it is recognizing how small you are which allows you to realize how large you can become. And that makes humility so formidable.

A full cup cannot be filled. When you're filled with yourself and your needs, "I and nothing else", there is no room for more. When you "empty" yourself before something greater than yourself, your capacity to receive increases beyond your previously perceived limits. Humility is the key to transcendence; to reach beyond yourself. Only true humility gives you the power of total objectivity.

Humility is sensitivity; it is healthy shame out of recognition that you can be better than you are and that you can expect more of yourself. Although humility is silent it is not a void. It is a dynamic expression of life that includes all seven qualities of love, discipline, compassion, endurance, humility, bonding and sovereignty.

Day 29 ― Chesed of Hod: Loving-kindness in Humility

Examine the love in your humility. Healthy humility is not demoralizing; it brings love and joy not fear. Humility that lacks love has to be reexamined for its authenticity. Sometimes humility can be confused with low self-esteem, which would cause it to be unloving.

Humility brings love because it gives you the ability to rise above yourself and love another. Does my humility cause me to be more loving and giving? More expansive? Or does it inhibit and constrain me?

Exercise for the day: Before praying with humility and acknowledgment of God, give some charity. It will enhance your prayers.

The Fierce Struggle

Read: Ephesians 6:10–20 | Bible in a Year: 2 Kings 24–25; John 5:1–24
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Our struggle is . . . against the powers of this dark world. Ephesians 6:12

In 1896, an explorer named Carl Akeley found himself in a remote section of Ethiopia, chased by an eighty-pound leopard. He remembered the leopard pouncing, trying “to sink her teeth into my throat.” She missed, snagging his right arm with her vicious jaws. The two rolled in the sand—a long, fierce struggle. Akeley weakened, and “it became a question of who would give up first.” Summoning his last bit of strength, Akeley was able to suffocate the big cat with his bare hands.

The apostle Paul explained how each of us who believe in Jesus will inevitably encounter our own fierce struggles, those places where we feel overwhelmed and are tempted to surrender. Instead, we must take our “stand against the devil’s schemes” and “stand firm” (Ephesians 6:11, 14).

Rather than cower in fear or crumble as we recognize our weakness and vulnerability, Paul challenged us to step forward in faith, remembering that we don’t rely on our own courage and strength but on God. “Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power,” he wrote (v. 10). In the challenges we face, He’s only a prayer away (v. 18).

Yes, we have many struggles, and we’ll never escape them by our own power or ingenuity. But God is more powerful than any enemy or evil we’ll ever face.

What fight are you (or someone you love) facing right now? How is God inviting you to stand firm in His strength and fight?

God, the fight is real. The evil is real. I don’t know what to do, but I’m trusting You and Your mighty power to be with me.

INSIGHT
Ephesus was a major Roman city in the ancient world, so the idea of a soldier’s armor would’ve been an easy concept for the Ephesians to grasp. And since Paul wrote this letter while under house arrest in Rome, he would’ve seen many examples of Roman armor on which to base this analogy.

The Roman army was a fierce fighting force, and that level of intensity would be needed to do battle “against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” that oppose believers in Jesus (Ephesians 6:12).

By Winn Collier|May 16th, 2022

Spiritual Warfare Ephesians Six:10-20

10 Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might.

11 Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil.

12 For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.

13 Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.

14 Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness;

15 And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;

16 Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked.

17 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

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Love, Walter and Debbie

[Sower]

2 hours ago, Walter and Deborah said:

Hod or humility is modesty ― it is acknowledgment (from the root of the Hebrew word "hoda'ah").

Hi Walter and Deborah

Reading your post I began to research that word  "Hod" in the bible. Only found one verse containing Hod.  1Ch_7:37
The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says;  The KJV translates Strong's H1935 in the following manner: glory (9x), honour (6x), majesty (4x), beauty (1x), comeliness (1x), glorious (1x), goodly (1x), honourable (1x).

Not humility

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)

הוֹד hôwd, hode; from an unused root; grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and appearance):—beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty.

 

Just curious where you found Hod

2 hours ago, Walter and Deborah said:

we examine and refine the emotional attribute of Hod or humility. Humility ― and the resulting yielding ― should not be confused with weakness and lack of self-esteem. Hod or humility is modesty ― it is acknowledgment (from the root of the Hebrew word "hoda'ah").

Hoda'ah is always expressed as thanks, or gratitude. I find no place suggesting humility or modesty.
Am curious to know your source, or perhaps it was someone's writings that they infer humility to a passage.
Thanks for your posts.
 

[Mama Etna]

I did this study this morning.  The armor of God is very effective in snuffing out the attacks of the enemy.  I have always appreciated this analogy.

[Walter and Deborah]

3 hours ago, Sower said:

Hi Walter and Deborah

Reading your post I began to research that word  "Hod" in the bible. Only found one verse containing Hod.  1Ch_7:37
The Strong's Exhaustive Concordance says;  The KJV translates Strong's H1935 in the following manner: glory (9x), honour (6x), majesty (4x), beauty (1x), comeliness (1x), glorious (1x), goodly (1x), honourable (1x).

Not humility

Strong’s Definitions [?](Strong’s Definitions Legend)

הוֹד hôwd, hode; from an unused root; grandeur (i.e. an imposing form and appearance):—beauty, comeliness, excellency, glorious, glory, goodly, honour, majesty.

 

Just curious where you found Hod

Hoda'ah is always expressed as thanks, or gratitude. I find no place suggesting humility or modesty.
Am curious to know your source, or perhaps it was someone's writings that they infer humility to a passage.
Thanks for your posts.
 

The seven emotional attributes are:

1. Chesed ― Loving-kindness
2. Gevurah ― Justice and discipline
3. Tiferet ― Harmony, compassion
4. Netzach ― Endurance
5. Hod ― Humility
6. Yesod ― Bonding
7. Malchut ― Sovereignty, leadership

[Sower]

39 minutes ago, Walter and Deborah said:

The seven emotional attributes are:

1. Chesed ― Loving-kindness
2. Gevurah ― Justice and discipline
3. Tiferet ― Harmony, compassion
4. Netzach ― Endurance
5. Hod ― Humility
6. Yesod ― Bonding
7. Malchut ― Sovereignty, leadership

Thanks W&D for your reply.

I went to the site to find scripture to study and verify.
There is none. It is the words of Daily Omer Meditatio, by Aish.com, A practical guide to becoming great in 49 days.
A lot of advice, perhaps good advice, but no scripture. I know I can trust scripture.
Thanks again....

[Walter and Deborah]

39 minutes ago, Sower said:

Thanks W&D for your reply.

I went to the site to find scripture to study and verify.
There is none. It is the words of Daily Omer Meditatio, by Aish.com, A practical guide to becoming great in 49 days.
A lot of advice, perhaps good advice, but no scripture. I know I can trust scripture.
Thanks again....

Amen Sower, we also went through some study notes of that same week and day and found two scriptures: 

Psalms 126: Sow In Tears...Reap In Joy, If interested, 

A Joyful Return to Zion

A Song of Ascents.

1 When the Lord brought back ^[a]the captivity of Zion,
We were like those who dream.
² Then our mouth was filled with laughter,
And our tongue with singing.
Then they said among the ^[b]nations,
“The Lord has done great things for them.”
³ The Lord has done great things for us,
And we are glad.

⁴ Bring back our captivity, O Lord,
As the streams in the South.

⁵ Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.
⁶ He who continually goes ^[c]forth weeping,
Bearing ^[d]seed for sowing,
Shall doubtless come again ^[e]with rejoicing,
Bringing his sheaves with him.

Exodus 34:6-7

 

⁶ And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, The Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth,

⁷ Keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin, and that will by no means clear the guilty; visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, and upon the children's children, unto the third and to the fourth generation.

Love, Walter and Debbie

 

Edited May 16, 2022 by Walter and Deborah
More info.

[Sower]

1 hour ago, Walter and Deborah said:

Those who sow in tears
Shall reap in joy.

A favorite scripture (from God)!