Jeremiah 9:23–24: “Thus says the LORD: / ‘Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, / Let not the mighty man glory in his might, / Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; / But let him who glories glory in this, / That he understands and knows Me, / That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. / For in these I delight,’ says the LORD.”

October 8th, 2024 by Pastor Ed in devotional

There is a humorous story of an elderly lady who was driving around a busy parking lot in her new Mercedes-Benz, looking in vain for a parking space. She finally saw someone loaded with packages heading for a car; she put on her blinker and waited patiently until the car pulled out. Just as it did, a young man in a sleek, black Porsche zipped in to the space before she could. Dumbfounded and outraged, she jumped out of her car shouting, “How could you do that? Didn’t you see me waiting there with my signal on?” Smiling arrogantly he said, “That’s what you can do when you’re young and fast.” Just as he was about to enter the store, he heard the hideous crunch of metal striking metal. He ran back and saw, to his horror, that the woman had gunned her Mercedes and smashed it into his beautiful black Porsche. “How could you do that?” he cried. She smiled and said, “That’s what you can do when you’re old and rich!”

What do we boast about? Typically we brag about the things that make us look good. But here we find God’s view on boasting coming at us straight out of eternity, and He says, through Jeremiah, that we are not to boast in our wisdom, strength, or riches. In the New Testament James said, “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will lift you up” (Jam. 4:10). We don’t have to work to further our personal ambitions. If we will learn and practice humility, then God will do all the promoting we can stand, usually even beyond our own ambitions.

The Lord promises that there is no comparison between knowing Him and anything the world has to offer. It is far better to know and understand God than to be known and understood by the world. God clearly desires for us to know Him in a very close and personal way. If we are looking for something to glory in, to brag about, then let it be that at the end of our lives, we can personally say, we know God.

“LORD, we boast of Your amazing grace that You extend to us every time we ask.”