Published 12/4/19
Read Jeremiah 33:9
"And this city shall be to me a name of joy, a praise and a glory before all the nations of the earth who shall hear of all the good that I do for them. They shall fear and tremble because of all the good and all the prosperity I provide for it."
Reflect
Read all of Jeremiah 33, and then consider these questions: Who is God specifically talking to? Why does He promise these things? What is the intended result? According to these verses, is living with God at the center a dull and wasted life?
It used to be, when you wanted to hear a particular song, you'd have to buy the whole CD. When you wanted to watch your favorite show on Monday night at 8 o'clock, you had to be on the couch at 8 o'clock, Monday night. And if you wanted to share your thoughts on life in general with the country, you had to be a nationally syndicated columnist.
Not anymore.
With my iPod and iTunes account, I can download and listen to any song I want. If I miss a TV show, my DVR recorded it. And if you're interested on my thoughts about that "weird-o" I saw downtown last night, go read my blog.
Even when I read my Bible, I find things that make me feel important. In Jeremiah God says, "Call to me and I will answer you. . .I will bring. . .health and healing, and I will heal them and reveal to them abundance of prosperity and security" (Jeremiah 33:3,6, ESV). And in James it says " . . . he [God] will exalt you" (James 4:10, ESV). Life is all about me!
Or is it?
The fact is, I'm only reading half of the Bible here. When I read the whole Bible, I find out that life isn't about showing how great I am, it's about showing how great God is. "The heavens declare the glory of God" (Psalm 19:1, ESV). "Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! Let your glory be over all the earth!" (Psalm 57:5, ESV). "So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God" (1 Corinthians 10:31, ESV).
In other words, life is to be lived with God at the center, not me. My life is supposed to be lived with His goals in mind, not my own. A person asked Jesus, of all the laws we can follow, what's the best? Jesus' answer was to love God with all your heart, soul and strength, and then to love others just as much (See Matthew 22:36-39).
You and I are very special to God, don't misunderstand that. But life can be so much more than filling our needs. We have the opportunity to help fill the deepest needs of others. We begin that process by introducing them to Jesus.
Pray
Lord Jesus, I praise You and I worship You. Thank You for the countless blessings in my life. Amen.