Wednesday, June 1, 2005
Jeremiah 9:23-24 This is what the LORD says: "Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom or the strong man boast of his strength or the rich man boast of his riches, but let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight," declares the LORD.
BOAST IN THE LORD
Here the LORD tells us that boasting about yourself is just plain silly. After all, everything you have has been given to you by the LORD. The wisdom of Solomon? From God. The strength of Samson? From God. The paycheck you get every week? From God. Nobody can brag about what has been given to them!
But the LORD also tells us what we can "brag" about. Knowing Him. Knowing the LORD doesn't just mean admitting that there must be a God up there somewhere. Truly knowing the LORD means listening to, and trusting in the Words of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
The Father tells us to listen to the Son (Matthew 17:5). And the Son says, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies" (John 11:25). And these words which we trust in are brought to us through the Bible, inspired and placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.
This is the fullest example of the LORD's kindness, justice and righteousness: When God's justice had found us guilty of sin and worthy of hell, in His kindness Jesus suffered our punishment and gave us His righteousness. Is this something to "brag" about? Yes! But not to our glory -- to the LORD's glory!
