Boast in the Lord (Psalm 34:2)

Today's scripture: Psalm 34:2

We who follow Christ are so blessed ... so very blessed.

First, we are blessed with life itself. Our bodies are so intricately made, or as the psalmist writes, "fearfully [awesomely] and wonderfully made" (139:14).

Second, we are blessed with relationships. Our families. Our friends. God created us for relationship, and whether we have large, noisy families and a whole passel of friends or a small, intimate family and just a few close friends, we are blessed with those people who make us laugh, who grieve alongside us, who build us up and make us stronger.

Third, we are blessed with provision of all our needs. We have roofs over our heads, food in our bellies. We have clothes on our backs. Oftentimes, we're blessed with even more than what we need ... just icing on the cake.

So, what does all this blessing have to do with today's verse about "boasting in the Lord"? When we stop to think of how much God loves us and how He chooses to bless us, we should rejoice in Him and praise Him, certainly. But we should also give all glory to Him for whom we are and what we have.

Then, when others see how we recognize how He and He alone works in our lives, when we humbly give thanks for His many blessings, they'll rejoice with us. And perhaps those who don't know Him themselves may want to meet this God who gives so much to His children.

Boast in the Lord (Psalm 20:7-8)

Today's scripture: Psalm 20:7-8

So many people believe that everything they’ve done—everything they will do—is of their own power. And everything they have is because of their work, their smarts, their abilities. And so they boast.

“I have the best house, car, career, marriage, children,” they say.

“Look what I have done,” they exclaim.

“How wonderful I am that I’ve done all this, that I have all this,” they preen.

And then, the stock market drops, and they lose half their investments. Or the housing market dips, and they’re suddenly upside down. Or their children go off to make their own lives, and they never hear from them.

What then? In what can they boast?

There is only one thing worth boasting in. One thing that will never fail, that will never desert, that will never forsake.

God and He alone is worth boasting about. His grace. His mercy. His righteousness. His justice. His guidance.

His love.

In what are you boasting? In what have you put your faith?

Join the psalmist and always “boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”

Boasting ... (Galatians 6:11-16)

Today's scriptures: Galatians 6:11-16

Some of us boast in our accomplishments. “Look at what I did,” we say. We take pride in the number of committees we’re on or the ministries we belong to. We love that our plate is full of the things we do for God.

Others boast in relationships. We’re proud of the number of friends we have or who we know. We love to tell others how we’ve encouraged our friends or helped them in times of need.

Still others boast in how well we follow God’s word. We memorize scriptures and diligently study God’s word—and make sure others know we do.

Doing good things for God, nurturing our relationships, or spending time in God’s word aren’t wrong. In fact, they’re wonderful—if done with a right heart.

We cannot boast in anything we do or are. We can only boast in the “cross of our Lord Jesus Christ.” In other words, everything we do should point to our Lord. Never should we desire the eyes of others to be on us. They should gaze directly on the face of our Savior.

He is the only one about whom we can boast. For He is the only one who truly deserves our praise.

"Necessary" Boasting (2 Corinthians 12:1-6)

Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6

Some debate who the “man in Christ” is that Paul writes about in these verses. Was it Paul himself? Or someone who told his story to Paul? For me, this isn’t one of those “stake in the sand” issues. What matters is what Paul is saying: Boasting isn’t profitable.

When we boast about something we do, two issues arise:

First, nothing we can do is of our own merit (we’ve talked about this before) because everything we have, everything we are, everything we can do comes from God.

Second, if we do boast about ourselves, we run the risk of being foolish. We say we can do something, and then we mess up. Seriously. None of us is perfect, and even the very best of us fails sometimes. For example, I’ve heard some really wonderful vocalists miss a note. Or an amazing actor flub a line.

But when we boast in what God does in and through us, He will use us to glorify Himself. I know when I focus on Him and just let Him work, He allows me to do far more than I can do on my own. He speaks through me in unexpected ways. He helps me to write words I hadn’t planned or remember verses I thought I’d forgotten.

When I know He’s fully with me, even if I mess up in my own weakness, He’ll still be glorified. Because the focus will be on Him and His glory, not me and my human failings.

And that’s exactly as it should be. 

I Am Nothing (2 Corinthians 10:14-18)

Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 10:14-18

I know I’ve written about this before, but we really have nothing to boast about in ourselves. Or perhaps I should speak only of myself.

I’m so flawed. So very flawed.

I want so much to be a godly, humble woman, but then my flesh rears its ugly head. And suddenly, I’m discontent. Or I’m discouraged. Or I’m prideful

I get a chance to use a God-given gift, and someone affirms me. Instead of immediately giving praise and honor to the Lord, I think, “Yeah. I did well. Good for me.”

Instead of boasting in the Lord, I boast in myself. And that truly breaks my heart.

I know—truly know—that nothing I have, nothing I am, nothing I can do is of my own merit. My abilities to speak and write and teach come directly from God. It is His voice that sings or acts through me. I live in a home that He gave me. I drive a car that He provided.

And as Job said (and I paraphrase), “The Lord gives, and the Lord can take away.” Because it’s all His.

We have nothing to boast about. Absolutely nothing.

Instead, we should give praise and gratitude to the One who chooses to bless us by entrusting our gifts and our things to us. 

It's ALL God's (1 Corinthian 4:6-7)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 4:6-7

A few days ago, I quoted Psalm 24:1, which says that “The earth is the Lord’s, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell therein.” Everything belongs to our Creator God.

So why do we struggle with pride or arrogance? Why do we look at all the stuff around us and think, “Look at what I have. Look at what I’ve done.”

We owe our very lives to God, and if He’s chosen to bless us with earthly treasures, then we should be grateful, not arrogant.

It’s the same with any spiritual gifts with which He’s chosen to bless us. I have to admit, this is an area I used to struggle with a lot. I’m immensely privileged to speak and/or sing for women’s events, and for many years, I served on worship teams. It was often all too easy for me to think about my gifts. When I thought of those gifts as mine, rather than something from God I should steward, I’d think, “I could do that better.”

It’s only when I finally recognized how weak and incapable I am without God’s work in my life—and that everything I have and am is His—that I was able to give whatever gifts He’s given me back to Him. If He chooses to use me to speak or sing, then it’s a blessing. If He chooses not to, then it’s still a blessing because He’ll use me in another way.

We can’t take credit for anything. We’ve received everything from God, and it is for His glory that all we have—our time, our talents, and our treasures—should be used.

Boast About the Lord (1 Corinthians 1:26-31)

Today's scripture: 1 Corinthians 1:26-31

There really is nothing worth boasting about in this world. Nothing we have, nothing we are is of our own making.

We may think we can boast in our wealth … and the stock market crashes. We may think we can boast in our stuff … and then a fire destroys our home and everything in it. We may think we can boast in our career … and then the pink slip comes.

We may even think we can boast in our very lives … and then the diagnosis comes.

Life is short, fleeting.

Truly the only thing worth boasting about it what Christ has done for us. Salvation. Redemption. Grace. Mercy.

Eternity with Him.

And so let’s boast about our Lord. Let’s share His goodness and mercy and love with others.

Boast in the Lord (Psalm 20:7-8)

Today's scripture: Psalm 20:7-8

So many people believe that everything they’ve done—everything they will do—is of their own power. And everything they have is because of their work, their smarts, their abilities. And so they boast.

“I have the best house, car, career, marriage, children,” they say.

“Look what I have done,” they exclaim.

“How wonderful am I that I’ve done all this, that I have all this,” they preen.

And then, the stock market drops, and they lose half their investments. Or the housing market dips, and they’re suddenly upside down. Or their children go off to make their own lives, and they never hear from them.

What then? In what can they boast?

There is only one thing worth boasting in. One thing that will never fail, that will never desert, that will never forsake.

He and He alone is worth boasting about. His grace. His mercy. His righteousness. His justice. His guidance.

His love.

In what are you boasting? In what have you put your faith?

Join the psalmist and always “boast in the name of the LORD, our God.”

Boast in the Lord (Psalm 34:2)

Today's scripture: Psalm 34:2

We who follow Christ are so blessed ... so very blessed. First, we are blessed with life itself. Our bodies are so intricately made, or as the psalmist writes, "fearfully [awesomely] and wonderfully made" (139:14).

Second, we are blessed with relationships. Our families. Our friends. God created us for relationship, and whether we have large, noisy families and a whole passel of friends or a small, intimate family and just a few close friends, we are blessed with those people who make us laugh, who grieve alongside us, who build us up and make us stronger.

Third, we are blessed with provision of all our needs. We have roofs over our heads, food in our bellies. We have clothes on our backs. Oftentimes, we're blessed with even more than what we need ... just icing on the cake.

So, what does all this blessing have to do with today's verse about "boasting in the Lord"? When we stop to think of how much God loves us and how He chooses to bless us, we should rejoice in Him and praise Him, certainly. But we should also give all glory to Him for whom we are and what we have.

Then, when others see how we recognize how He and He alone works in our lives, when we humbly give thanks for His many blessings, they'll rejoice with us. And perhaps those who don't know Him themselves may want to meet this God who gives so much to His children.

Boasting Isn't Profitable (2 Cor. 12:1-6)

Today’s scripture: 2 Corinthians 12:1-6

Some debate about who the “man in Christ” is that Paul writes about in these verses. Was it Paul himself? Or someone who told his story to Paul? For me, this isn’t one of those “stake in the sand” issues. What matters is what Paul is saying: Boasting isn’t profitable.

When we boast about something we do, two issues arise:

First, nothing we can do is of our own merit (we’ve talked about this before) because everything we have, everything we are, everything we can do comes from God.

Second, if we do boast about ourselves, we run the risk of being foolish. We say we can do something, and then we mess up. Seriously. None of us is perfect, and even the very best of us fails sometimes. For example, I’ve heard some really wonderful vocalists miss a note. Or an amazing actor flub a line.

But when we boast in what God does in and through us, He will use us to glorify Himself. I know when I focus on Him and just let Him work, He allows me to do far more than I can do on my own. He speaks through me in unexpected ways. He helps me to write words I hadn’t planned or remember verses I thought I’d forgotten.

When I know He’s fully with me, even if I mess up in my own weakness, He’ll still be glorified. Because the focus will be on Him and His glory, not me and my human failings.

And that’s exactly as it should be.