Idioms are catchy. The guy with his "nose in the air" obviously has a problem with humility. The per­son who "watches his foot" evi­dently doesn't. And that's literally what Solomon instructed Israel to do: "Watch your foot" when you ap­proach the house of God. He urges an attitude of humility.

We realize that this "house" is where the God of heaven had his dwelling place on earth among the Old Testament people. Folk like you and me could come into his pres­ence, folk with the same questions, challenges, and doubts: Are the bad things happening to me due to my sins? Is God angry with me? And just as often: Might good things be happening to me because I'm a better person than the widow next door?

Humility is rare in our fallen world; indeed, pride has a well-worn place in every heart. Yet we habitual­ly go to church, regularly seek God in prayer, and always expect God to do us good. Who is God? He is in heav­en, Solomon says (v. 2). The point of the location is that God is almighty, with nothing finite, creaturely, or earthly about him. Earth is his foot­stool, heaven can't contain him. In boundless mercy he condescended to establish a bond of love with people. The human race in satanic arrogance rebelled against God, and thereafter we've been victims to our pride. Yet in mercy beyond the boundless, God condescended again to reestablish his bond of love with rebels, and so adopted sinners to be his children. He had a tabernacle built where he could live among the people of his choice. There he illustrated how a holy God could dwell among sinners – for lamb upon lamb was daily sacrificed for the sins of the people, and the priests and Levites never tired of explaining the message of these sacrifices, so telling the people of the coming Savior. The "house of God" was where grace was wonderfully proclaimed to people by nature full of self.

It's normal to come into God's presence with an attitude of "I'm OK." Or to expect that God will be impressed with my obvious devotion to him: "Lord, I come faithfully to church; you'll do me well, of course." Resolution: "Lord, I'm going to do my daily devotions more diligently, so I'm counting on you to make my marriage work better." We don't say it in so many words, but the thought is there: if I do this, God will do that ­and so we attempt to manipulate God, make him do what we'd like. That's pride. That's why Solomon instructed the people: "Watch your foot when you go to God's house." Humility comes divinely required; you're not welcome without it!

I'm tempted to say that I'm hum­ble as I go to church, bow my head in prayer, read the Bible, and as I relate in God's name to those around me. But I know: to say I'm humble is evi­dence of ... pride. Sin lies so close at hand. How much we need the gospel of God's mercy in Jesus Christ!

And see how wonderful that gos­pel is! On the threshold of his teenage years – when image means so much – Jesus entered the house of God in Jerusalem. And he listened, then asked questions (Luke 2:46). He came to hear. What did he learn? The message trum­peted at the temple was that the Lamb of God had to die for sin, and so fulfill every Old Testament sacrifice. To do that, Jesus had to be a perfect Lamb, free of pride. That is, as he prepared to meet the just God on Calvary, he needed to watch his foot. So he went to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, but didn't come with many words, nor boast of his achievements, nor come with promises to twist God's arm and reduce the coming anguish. Instead, "he fell on his face" – talk about hu­mility! His words conveyed the same attitude:

My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.Matt 26:39

We recognize the words of a dependent man, one with no sense of self-importance. He prayed this same prayer not once, not twice, but thrice – always seeking to listen, to learn, to submit to God.

Because of that obedience, God was pleased with the Son, and so he could be a perfect sacrifice for my sins of arrogance. That's the reason I can keep coming into God's pres­ence. He receives my prayers, despite the insufficiency of my humility and the wretched abiding arrogance in my attitude, because Jesus perfectly watched his foot. In the strength of the Spirit I'll walk in his footsteps ­and watch my foot.