Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Tuesday, April 21st, 2009

Jeremiah 9:23-24
Thus says the LORD: "Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the LORD."

These passages that begin with "thus says the Lord" are passages that should make my ears perk up. These should be as if you have been waiting all my life to succeed at a certain task, trying to learn more and more about it, so that I can master it, then all of the sudden, I hear it come up in a topic. Suddenly, my head turns toward the conversation and my ears perk up. This is what should happen when I hear the Lord speak.

There are many people in this world who claim to be wise. These men boast in their wisdom. These men may be doctors, lawyers, politicians, engineers, philosophers, average every day people. These men who boast in their wisdom, are told by God Himself, the One who created all things, and knows all mysteries and has all knowledge, to stop.

There are also many people in this world who claim to be mighty and powerful. These men boast in their strength. These men may be weight lifters, politicians, CEOs, lawyers, and even average every day people. These men are told by the Lord, the almighty, all-powerful, omnipotent One, not to boast in their might.

There are also many people in this world who are rich, filthy rich. These men boast in their riches. These men may be wealthy aristocrats, self-made millionaires, lawyers, doctors, politicians, etc. These men are also told by the King of the universe, the One who owns the cattle on every hill, not to boast in their riches.

But our God does not say not to boast at all, in fact, I think that we as people are all inclined naturally to boast. God tells me to boast in something that is worthy of boasting in. This boasting that I am to do is to boast in the fact that I understand and know God. God, the One who created the heavens and the earth, the One who sets up and tears down kingdoms, the One who gives and the One who takes away. Blessed be His name.

I am to boast in the Lord, that I know and understand Him, and that He is a God full of unfailing love, a God full of perfect justice, and a God who is absolutely holy and righteous. These attributes and qualities are truly things to boast about, not stupid things like how powerful I am as a little, tiny creature, not how wise I am as a little man who doesn't know every subject or even much about most subjects, not as a rich man who has tons of money that will eventually just be spent and pass through another man's hands. For these things are truly foolish to boast in.

Let me boast in my God. Let me boast in His great attributes and wonders. Let me sing of His praises and not mine. God delights in love, justice and righteousness. So, in order for Him to delight in me, I must delight in these things as well, I must take pride in God and His attributes, and try to make them mine as well, but all the while, always pointing to Him.

Paul said that He would boast only in Christ, and Him crucified. There is no room for boasting in myself and in my own strength, wisdom, riches or anything else for that matter. There is only room for boasting in the God of the universe and His salvation in and through Jesus Christ my Lord.

So here I stand this morning, oh my soul, please hear these words! Lord Jesus, by the power of your Holy Spirit, and your blood, please hear my prayer. I pray that you would help me to see that the world and all its stuff are fleeting pleasures, only designed to push us closer to you. Help me to lose my pride, and think of myself humbly. Help me to stop boasting in myself, and only boast in you and your power. Let me live for you with all my heart and soul and mind, and let me claim only the cross of Christ, and there cling only. Let me say, I count all things as trash except for knowing you and the power of the cross. In the powerful name of Jesus Christ. Amen.