For God's Glory, for Our Good

I've been reading through Jeremiah and I came across this passage in Chapter 13:1-11

¹ Thus the LORD said to me: “Go and get yourself a linen sash, and put it around your waist, but do not put it in water.” ² So I got a sash according to the word of the LORD, and put it around my waist.
³ And the word of the LORD came to me the second time, saying, ⁴ “Take the sash that you acquired, which is around your waist, and arise, go to the Euphrates, and hide it there in a hole in the rock.” ⁵ So I went and hid it by the Euphrates, as the LORD commanded me.
⁶ Now it came to pass after many days that the LORD said to me, “Arise, go to the Euphrates, and take from there the sash which I commanded you to hide there.” ⁷ Then I went to the Euphrates and dug, and I took the sash from the place where I had hidden it; and there was the sash, ruined. It was profitable for nothing.
⁸ Then the word of the LORD came to me, saying, ⁹ “Thus says the LORD: ‘In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem. ¹⁰ This evil people, who refuse to hear My words, who follow the dictates of their hearts, and walk after other gods to serve them and worship them, shall be just like this sash which is profitable for nothing. ¹¹ For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the LORD, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’

I was captivated by the phrase "that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory." So incredibly often we slip into this rut of viewing our walk with God as a giving relationship; we give Him our love, our strength, our devotion, our praise, out lives . . . What I've discovered reading in the old testament is that our relationship with God is 100% His doing and His giving. We're not unlike the children of Israel who constantly fell away, constantly rebelled in sin, and constantly rejected the goodness of God. What we see in the minor and major prophets is a love story where God is always the one refusing to deal with Israel (us) in the way we deserve. He is always the one pursuing us; always the one finding us and drawing us back. Yet we lose site of this. Not only do we lose sight of the fact that our relationship is with God is of God, we lose sight of the fact that it is for our good. Walking close with God and doing good for Him does not just glorify God (which itself is by far enough reason to do good) but it is to "Become [God's] people, for renown, for praise, and for glory." Us doing good for God is doing good for us. We derive (actually more like are given) so many blessings when we walk close to God.

Galations 6:7-10

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all, especially to those who are of the household of faith.

Paul also goes on to address the issue of pride that God punishes Israel for (In this manner I will ruin the pride of Judah and the great pride of Jerusalem) when he says "God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ"

To Find Our Boast in Christ

Jeremiah 9:23-24

“ Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
Let not the mighty man glory in his might,
Nor let the rich man glory in his riches;
But let him who glories glory in this,
That he understands and knows Me,
That I am the LORD, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth.
For in these I delight,” says the LORD.

Galatians 6:14
But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ

Our God is an Awesome God

Psalm 97:1-6

The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad;
let the distant shores rejoice.
Clouds and thick darkness surround him;
righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne.
Fire goes before him
and consumes his foes on every side.
His lightning lights up the world;
the earth sees and trembles.
The mountains melt like wax before the LORD,
before the Lord of all the earth.
The heavens proclaim his righteousness,
and all peoples see his glory.