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The Prophet Jeremiah wept very much. He wished his wailing will rouse his people to be sensitive towards God and to realise that sinful living will only lead to their doom and destruction. His people, who knew of God’s goodness and protection, were living in prosperity. Yet, they were accustomed to dealing with lies and deceptions – their own brothers could not be trusted. In trading they said things for their own advantage, knowing them to be false (Jer. 9:1-9). When calamity came on them, they could not see that the destruction was of such a scale horrific enough to drive them to reflect, repent and reform. Instead, they merely lamented their misfortunes, not their sin.
“There is no faithfulness, no love, no acknowledgment of God in the land” (Hos. 4:1). It is like saying: “Where there is no knowledge of God, what good can be expected?” But the LORD declares: “…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” (Jer. 9:24). Those who know God will reflect His likeness in kindness, integrity and uprightness in their dealings with others. To know God is to surrender to Him their fears, anxieties, vengeful spirits and desperations. To know God is to demonstrate faith that God will provide and protect them.
To let God take charge of our lives often sounds a frightening, restrictive solution to us. To “surrender” is associated with defeat, humiliation and losing our precious independence. Hence, a “surrendered life” must surely mean a loss of self-identity? When it comes to running our lives, we would rather stay in control – after all, we have money, contacts and intelligence (Jer. 9:23) to count on to make the best decisions. We must see that life’s circumstances are opportunities for us to see God at work in our lives. At our salvation, God poured His love into our hearts so that we begin to comprehend His love for us. God-centeredness is an integral part of our walk in Christ. Devotion to God – the sincere desire to please and glorify Him – is the only motive for our actions to be acceptable to God. The outcome of this devotion is our thanksgiving and praise to God – definitely far more liberating and joyous.
What delights God is that we delight in Him!
