The Wise Man May Understand
Do you (and do I) take for granted that we have plenty of time?
Do we receive the leading of the Spirit, and think, ‘Tomorrow or another day, I will . . .’?
Does the Lord call us to do His will for nothing?
It is by God’s grace alone that we woke up this morning, that we are breathing, that we are alive. Surely, the events of the previous month have taught so many, have taught me, how life can change in an instant, how our lives can end within the span of a mere moment. Therefore, do we take for granted that we have plenty of time remaining to do the things the Lord has called us to do? Are we walking in faithfulness? Are we trusting in the Lord?
The prophet Jeremiah was led by the Spirit to record these words:
“Thus says the LORD,
(The Book of Jeremiah 9: 23 NASB)
“Let not a wise man boast of his wisdom, and let not the mighty man boast of his might,
let not a rich man boast of his riches;”
This morning as the dark covered the place where I live, I listened to the words of a melody, one I had never heard before today. I would like you to also hear the lyrics that speak of listening to the voice of God: “The Long Surrender” by NEEDTOBREATHE.
Memories. A Bible. A Giving of Self. Prayers Lifted. Sorrows changed to His Glorious Beauty.
Circumstances. The Word of God. Knees and Bowed Down.
“Why You turn the weight of our sorrows into a crown.”
During the past few weeks, we have sat beside a grieving wife as she watched her husband of four-plus decades move toward death. In the early days, when the dreaded word—CANCER—was voiced, the doctors spoke words of hope. However, as days went by, the hope for extended days, for earthly life became whispered words of the HOPE of eternal life within the presence of Jesus Christ.
“Thus says the LORD,
(The Book of Jeremiah 9: 23a & 24 NASB)
“Let not a wise man boast
. . .
but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me,
that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth;
for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
Do we take for granted that we have plenty of time to live here on earth?
Do we receive the leading of the Spirit, and think, ‘Tomorrow or another day, I will do this or that’?
Does the LORD call us to do His will for nothing? OR Does the LORD call us to trust and obey as we walk in faithfulness to Him?
Are we trying to “do life” on our own? OR Are we walking by faith, step-by-step as the Spirit leads?
What does it mean to know something and to fully understand?
Love from the LORD, wealth, strength, nor GOD’S salvation does not give us any right to boast.
Christ alone saves!
Everything, yes EVERY SINGLE THING comes from the LORD!
Therefore, boast in—
HIS MERCY.
HIS GRACE.
HIS LOVE.
Just as Jesus, the Son of God, taught, may we allow the work the LORD gives us to become a primary way for us to participate in God’s kingdom work. Our daily work is not disconnected from God’s kingdom work. Maybe return to read the previous sentence. Every child of the LORD is constantly being reshaped and molded by the hands of the Father. He is trimming and pruning and reworking the rough edges of each one of us, instructing us, yes, teaching us to lean in on HIM, reminding us to not boast on our wisdom, our might, or our wealth, “but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, . . .”
The LORD wants us to build a future on Him: on His power and on His strength and remember “that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things,” declares the LORD.”
Therefore, we walk by faith. As we do, our natures are reworked and freed from the power of sin.
Be faithful.
Walk by faith.
Trust in the Savior.
Accomplish the work the LORD leads you to do.
Do not put off to tomorrow what you know the LORD is leading you to do today.
Life is brief, a vapor, and cannot be taken for granted. Funeral homes and grave markers remind us of this truth.
Let us surrender giving of ourselves.
Let us pray with knees bowed down, asking the Spirit to lead us to see with spiritual eyes.
Let us keep our eyes fixed on His Glorious Beauty.
“but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, . . .”
(The Book of Jeremiah 9: 24a NASB)