This is what the LORD says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powe
This is what the LORD says: “Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom, or the powerful boast in their power, or the rich boast in their riches. But those who wish to boast should boast in this alone: that they truly know me and understand that I am the LORD who demonstrates unfailing love and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth, and that I delight in these things. I, the LORD, have spoken!”
Jeremiah 9:23-24
The very first thing that I have to say is that I absolutely love these verses. This concept is absolutely beautiful to me. Here we sit in a world that full of things that we love to boast about. We love to proclaim our grades, a relationship, a job, or some other award.
We use these things to define us, our character. We adore these things as if that makes us worth anything. We ground our identities in things such as power, fame, money, and even knowledge. We see the word boast here in these verses. How often do we use such things to puff ourselves up? It can be a pretty pathetic, pointless display. God never intends for anyone to consider themselves better than someone else.
Here, the Lord says that those who wish to boast should only boast in one thing – that they know God. Funny thing is that when someone truly knows God, boasting becomes obsolete. Someone who truly knows God recognizes the magnificence and glory of God. After witnessing the majesty of the Lord, no one would ever want to talk boastfully. That person would only be able to talk about the splendor of the person of God who is their unfailing love, justice, and righteousness.
So really? That degree looks good? That book you wrote? You know, the one that sold a million copies? That championship? That money in the bank? Are any of these things really what you want your identity tied up in?
The eternal king wants to embrace you. He wants you to realize your full potential in a relationship with Him. A relationship in which you truly know Him. So, what is that thing that seems appealing again? Can you really compare it in the scope of knowing God? Nothing stands up to Him. Nothing satisfies. Nothing cures. Nothing can possibly satiate that burning ache like He does.
Other things are certainly very appealing, but they are appealing for only one reason. They seem simpler. In a lot of ways, they are simpler. It’s a lot easier to recognize a need or a desire in your heart and use your own hands, your own will-power, to jump on that first possible thing that seems capable of satisfying. And those things will work for a time, but you will always need more of it at some point. That’s what it means to be addicted to something, always needing more because a small portion does nothing to fill you up.
A genuine relationship with God, truly knowing Him, means so much more than any earthly thing. God already knows you intimately simply because He created you, and He is God. He is opening the door to a relationship, though, not following rules or a religion. He wants your heart even though He knows its deepest secrets. He wants to get to know you in a more personal way.
He sent His Son to earth to die on a cross in order to bring you back to Him. He wants you to know Him. He wants you to be honest. He wants to be your everything. A relationship is the only thing that truly satisfies the thirst of your soul.
He wants to get to know you, and He wants you to get to know Him.
Cross Section 