Jeremiah 9
Today is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is the 40 days leading to Easter. It is a time of reflection as we prepare our hearts for the celebration of the resurrection. We are inviting you this year as part of lent to an act of kindness towards the poor. What could you do over the next 40 days that would serve the poor in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ?
In the Jeremiah passage, God is lamenting the actions of the people. In verses 23-24 God tells the people not to boast of their strength, riches or wisdom. Rather, let the person boast that he follows the Lord. What will you boast of in the coming days? Will it be of the Lord?
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I think it is important during Lent to do things for the right reason. We are not giving something up (or taking something on) so that we can be praised for our willpower or dedication. We are doing it for God's glory! I remember Ken's sermon last year before Lent, that while we are fasting we should not 'show it on our faces' or complain if it is difficult. I think whatever sacrifice we decide to make during Lent should be with God at the center of it. I think we should ask ourselves why we are making the sacrifice. Is it for us or for God? When we align our actions with what God wants, it is easier to boast not of ourselves or our own strength and willpower, but of the Lord.
ReplyDeleteI think it's really cool that at the end of the chapter God is telling us exactly what pleases Him. "What I like best is showing kindness, justice, and mercy to everyone on earth." There is no question as to what He truly wants of us, He's telling us flat out what pleases Him. When we are able to show that kind of compassion to other people we are singing God's praises through our actions-we are boasting that we are followers of the Lord.
"The days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will attend to all those who are circumcised only in the foreskin . . . For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel is uncircumcised in heart."
ReplyDeleteOutward religiosity has always been unpleasing in God's sight. We see Paul make a similar argument in Romans 4 when he points out that Abraham was credited as righteous before, not after, his circumcision. I believe it is fair to compare the circumcision passages like these to our baptisms. Thus, we can ask the question whether our hearts have been baptized or did we just get wet? Or to use X's example have we cleaned only the outside of our cup leaving the inside filled with greed and wickedness?
As Jenni said, this chapter makes it very clear on how God wants us to act. I hope and pray that during this special season of Lent, that I may "boast" only of God's love through my acts of "kindness and justice and mercy."
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