A Daily Devotion for Tuesday, July 6

Jeremiah 9: 23-24

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.

Boasting is not always “in your face” bragging. It can be much more subtle, and I think this is where many of us fail. We tell stories of our pasts which include details meant to impress others, or meant to elevate us somehow into some special space. Or we tell of our present plans or situations, in an effort to paint some sort of an impression. The message I am hearing today is to strive for an “impressive” relationship with God. This is where my efforts should center. What I have or what I have achieved does nothing for my relationship with God, and it certainly does not help me to point others to Him. But my relationship with God changes me for the better, and this should be all I need to make a positive impression on others.

God above, I humbly ask you to draw me closer to you. Allow my relationship with you to be an example to others. Amen

Becky, transforming