“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 him 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,” declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 9:23-24
As a former Town Manager in an affluent community I was surrounded by the rich, the powerful, and the famous. Many of my acquaintances seemed to regularly boast about their position, power, and influence. After preparing last week’s devotional and reflecting back to my days as a public servant, I couldn’t help but link the two messages in better understanding the nature of God.
A. W. Tozer in his book, The Pursuit of God said, “What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us.” What we think about God has a direct bearing on what we do with life. The following is a partial list of reasons of why God is so important in our lives:
Enhances our worship and prompts our praise.
Shapes our moral and ethical standards.
Directly affects our response to pain and hardship.
Motivates our response toward fortune, fame, power, and pleasure.
Gives us strength when we are tempted.
Keeps us faithful and courageous when we are burdened.
Determines our lifestyle and dictates our behavior.
Gives meaning and significance to relationships.
Sensitizes our conscience and creates the desire to be obedient.
Stimulates hope to go on, regardless of what lies ahead of us.
Enables us to know what to reject and what to respect while riveted to planet Earth.
HE IS THE FOUNDATION ON WHICH EVERYTHING RESTS!!
Let us not forget to honor God everyday for His love, mercy, grace, and sacrifice of His only begotten Son – Christ Jesus.
Personal Application:
- When you think about the awesomeness of God what comes to mind?
- How can your relationship with God be refined and enhanced?
- What thoughts come to mind when you consider how much He loves His creation?
- Who can you speak with this week to discuss the majesty of our Creator?
- Why not pass along this devotional to your network? Encourage them to sign-up to receive these devotionals by filling out the form here!
Jim E. Grassi, D. Min.