Boast in God

Usually, when we hear the word boast, it's in a negative sense. But today, I'd like to talk about boasting in God. So, let me set the scene for you from Isaiah 38-39.

Good King Hezekiah had been sick, a sickness unto death. But God spared his life and gave him fifteen more years to live. The king of Babylon sent a 'Sorry-to-Hear-You-Were-Sick' present, and in Hezekiah's joy over this gesture, he showed the messengers everything God had blessed him with. And I mean everything!

The prophet Isaiah comes along and says, 'Because of your pride, the king of Babylon will take everything you showed his messengers today away from you.'

I don't know about you, but that seems a little harsh. One moment, God's giving Hezekiah fifteen more years to live and then ending life as he knows it. No hope for a good future. All because Hezekiah was excited about God's blessings on his life.

But King Hezekiah (rather uniquely) says, 'Good is the word of the Lord which thou hast spoken.' I doubt many of us would react that way at such news.

God does explain the punishment. It was because of Hezekiah's pride. Not pride in His God, but personal pride in that which was given to him.

We ought to thank God for our blessings. But how many times do we act as if those blessings are our personal accomplishments like King Hezekiah?

What if Hezekiah had taken those messengers into the temple, not to show off how pretty it looked, but to tell them about God? To teach them how to worship God and why God ought to be worshiped?

What if he told them the story from Isaiah 37 when God sent an angel to wipe out the enemies' army and saved Jerusalem. He could have said, "See, here are the promises in the Scriptures that God fulfilled that day when He protected us like He promised!

"Look at the great and wonderful God I have? He has extended my life and blessed me greatly. He is worthy of praise. Let me show you my God!"

Unfortunately, that's not what he did. He missed a wonderful opportunity. Don't make the same mistake. Boast in God, not yourself.

Ps. 34:2 My soul shall make her boast in the LORD: the humble shall hear thereof and be glad.

And yes, I looked up the Hebrew word for boast, and the English concept fits it. That seems incredulous to think that the humble would be glad of someone's boasting, but it's because they are not boasting in their possessions. Not even in their blessings. That soul boasts in God, and that is good.

Not convinced?

Ps. 44:8 In God we boast all the day long, and praise thy name for ever. Selah.

All that we have belongs to God. It is not ours, and there is a difference between boasting in what God has given us and boasting in our God. The former was Hezekiah, and the latter is right and honourable.

I'll leave you with this verse. 'But let him that glorieth glory in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, that I am the Lord which exercise lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness, in the earth: for in these things I delight, saith the Lord.' Jer. 9:24

Glory not in your blessings but in your God. Boast of Him.