What Does God Want?

Today's New Testament reading includes 1 Peter 5, which has this great verse in it:

Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you at the proper time

1 Peter 5.6

There's stuff before and after this verse, and many Sunday School students memorize them: clothe yourself with humility - that's good, and cast your care upon him because he cares for you - that's also good.

But the part I'm excited about here is the little phrase I have highlighted above (in an awful color, I admit) -- that God wants to exalt us (the NIV says "lift you up in due time"); he does not want to crush or humiliate us.

Isn't that cool? The idea that God wants to lift us up, that he wants to exalt us -- that sounds like good news to me. And something to be thankful for.

Because there are lots of people who want to put you down. Sometimes the "lots of people" even includes yourself, doesn't it? But not God. He wants to lift you up.

It reminds me of when Jesus said, "Don't take the best place at the table; take a lower position, and then the host will say to you, 'Friend, move up to a better place.'" (Luke 14.10) I don't think Jesus was talking only about parties here on earth.