Do you find yourself mulling over the course our world is taking? At times I think that there is nothing but bad news these days, as the world seems to be sliding into the abyss. This is the situation that Jeremiah seems to have shared with us. Israel and Judah had turned from their God, who brought them out of Egypt and had given themselves to other “gods.”
Jeremiah could be speaking of our day when he says: “Oh that my head were waters, and my eyes a fountain of tears, that I might weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people…falsehood and not truth has grown strong in the land; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they do not know me, declares the Lord” (Jeremiah 9: 1, & 3 ESV). It seems that the condition of the people is connected with not knowing the Lord.
Jeremiah goes on to say that “no one speaks the truth; they have taught their tongue to speak lies; they weary themselves committing iniquity…they refuse to know me, declares the Lord” (Jer 9: 5 & 6). At times I think that if people just hear the truth that it will change their lives. That may happen, and we pray it will, but as we see often in Scripture people have heard, but often refuse to accept who God is.
What does the Lord have to say about this? Jeremiah tells us that the Lord says there will be weeping and mourning because the people have turned away from Him. At the end of the chapter the Lord also says: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth. For in these things I delight, declares the Lord” (Jer 9:23-24).
The things of this world that we tend to boast about mean nothing in comparison to understanding and knowing the Lord. And to know him means to know his steadfast love, justice, and righteousness. Let’s take every opportunity to know him better, to be bold to boast in who he is, and to delight in what gives him delight!