LEARNING DAILY

 

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 them 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,”

 

Do you know someone who likes for everyone to know how wealthy he/she is, or how respected he/she is? This is the person who wants everyone to look at him/her because of what he/she possesses or their position in their occupation or organization. What a person boasts in tells a lot about that person. The Lord says through the prophet Jeremiah that one must not boast in their wisdom, strength, or riches. Isn’t wisdom good? Reading the writings of Isaiah and Jeremiah has made me understand that human wisdom without God is unreliable. Gaining wealth outside of God’s wisdom or His standards will not last.

 

We live in a world today that temps us to love all sorts of things which provide health, wealth, and wisdom; it will even provide ways to provide people with the way. Be careful! Jesus said that walking on the narrow way would be difficult. The Lord told us through Jeremiah that we only boast in understanding and knowing Him. Human beings do not have the same perspective as God; He knows tomorrow and all that comes with it. Therefore, we are foolish to proudly rely on our own limited knowledge. No matter how intelligent a person is, no matter how much one learns, our wisdom always will be limited. There will always be problems we cannot solve and mysteries we cannot understand.

 

There are so many who have done everything they can to gain great wealth and the things they have bought with their wealth. How much wealth is enough? What do athletes do with the millions and millions of dollars they have from playing a particular sport? Are they happy? I would like to tell these people that someday they are going to lose all this stuff or it is going to be given to someone else.

 

Let me ask what comforts you when faced with your life? In the verses above God makes it clear who He is, what he stands for, and what He delights in. Everyone who wants to know God and walk with Him on the narrow way into His kingdom better pay close attention to this! When He says He “delights in”, He is telling us He enjoys and is satisfied in something; He is personal not impersonal. He tells us He “delights in” those who know Him as their Lord. Seeks Him, and walks in kindness, justice, and righteousness. He “delights in” showing love to His people and when His people show love to others.

 

Not one of us will know everything about God – He is beyond our comprehension! But we can have insight into Him from diligently pursuing Him and from readying/studying/meditating on His Word. Be thankful for whatever insight you have about God and find that to be comfort for your life. Let me build on yesterday’s blog page. Our goal regarding heaven is not to be able to talk with the prophets or any biblical or historical character there (but that does excite me!). No, the goal of heaven is knowing that God is there. He has removed the barrier of sin that separated us from Him. That means we will be rewarded for walking the narrow way, no matter how difficult it has been for us, by living with the Lord Jesus Christ forever and knowing Him and His glory! That is certainly something to boast about. What we must understand is we do not have to wait until we get to heaven to begin knowing Him! It begins with our salvation and our desire to walk a narrow way doing all we can to become like Him. If a person misses knowing Him now – it does not really matter what else, you have or what you accomplished.