Obedience & Humiliation
I have learned what humiliation feels like over the years. Humiliation is being mortified, painful loss of pride and loss of self-respect. I remember one instance when in college, a college friend played a prank on me and embarrassed me in front of the whole lunchroom full of peers. I was angry, embarrassed and mortified because I was humiliated in such grand fashion. The older I get and the farther away I get from that event, much of my humiliation was definitely internalized. People weren’t laughing at me per se, they were laughing at the prank. I was incredibly angry at my friend and wanted to knock his head off, but he apologized, and I forgave him. We can now laugh about it, but I still remember the utter humiliation I felt as a 20-year-old kid.
The Lord gives Isaiah some interesting instructions to speak about the Egyptians and Ethiopians. It doesn’t appear that Isaiah is humiliated, but he is sure telling the Egyptians and Ethiopians what is coming. Check this out…
2 the Lord told Isaiah son of Amoz, “Take off the burlap you have been wearing, and remove your sandals.” Isaiah did as he was told and walked around naked and barefoot.
3 Then the Lord said, “My servant Isaiah has been walking around naked and barefoot for the last three years. This is a sign—a symbol of the terrible troubles I will bring upon Egypt and Ethiopia. 4 For the king of Assyria will take away the Egyptians and Ethiopiansas prisoners. He will make them walk naked and barefoot, both young and old, their buttocks bared, to the shame of Egypt.(Isaiah 20:3-4 NLT)
When I read this I was thinking three years? Isaiah walked around for three years like this. He obviously got over being humiliated and embarrassed in public. The Lord clearly communicated His intent against Egypt and Ethiopia through visual picture of Isaiah.
I was reminded this morning that if the Lord tells me to do something, I should do as I’m told, just like Isaiah. I was also reminded that the Lord might have me walking in this obedience for a long period of time. (ugh) I like things to be somewhat normal. I don’t like a “new normal” to become normal. I realize that I surrendered my want, my wishes and even my demands to the Lord when I surrendered my heart to Him many years ago. I’m still finding areas of my heart that are hard to surrender. My flesh speaks up loud and clear against the call of the Lord upon my heart. I’m learning to let my surrendered heart have the loudest voice in how I live. This is way easier said than done.
Pressing On!
Dwayne