Have you ever wondered who God is? Exploring His attributes and how they relate to us can offer guidance as we navigate our own path and actions…
“But let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the Lord, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,” declares the Lord.” (Jeremiah 9:24)
Do you know God? It’s hard for us to really fathom such a powerful being. Lord over all creation, knower of all things. Fully grasping the enormity of our God is difficult for our very human brains.
But we can know Him by His attributes. We can understand Him based off of what He says and what He does. Because unlike you and I, God never changes. How He acted with Adam and Eve is not different from how He acted with David. And it’s not different from how He acts with us.
There’s great comfort in the knowledge that God is who He says He is. Once we understand these attributes, we can begin to have an idea about who God is, and what that means for us.
Who is God?
There are so many descriptors of who God is; creator, father, kind, jealous, just, loving, righteous… more than I can list here. But these descriptors are a way to point out the attributes of God that we want to focus on.
In this verse in Jeremiah, God himself is telling us who he is. He is the Lord, and He loves kindness, justice, and righteousness.
Knowing these things, we can gather some understanding of God. If he delights in these things, then these are the things He bestows upon us. And if He delights in them, then He also looks for us to emulate them.
We should boast in our understanding and knowledge of God because we have more than just information about God. We have a look at who He is to us and who we are to Him.
What does He delight in?
Kindness: The Lord is kind to us. He holds us when we need comfort, listens when we need an ear, and forgives us when we need absolution.
Justice: God loves fairness. He punishes the wicked and rewards the good. He doesn’t ignore the marginalized or offer extra to the wealthy. We may not see it in this world, but at the end of our lives, God makes the final judgments. And justice is done.
Righteousness: The Lord is righteous, and He wants us to be, too. We may fall short on many occasions, but God isn’t looking for perfection in us. Only He can be perfectly righteous. But He wants us to strive to do right in all that we do.
God is kind and just and right. And He stands as an example for us to follow. Knowing Him is to know what He expects from us. It allows us to have a path to follow, a direction to head toward as we march through life according to His great plan for us.
As you go through your week, think of ways that you can be kind, just, and right in your behavior. How can you boast about your knowledge of God to the advantage of others? How can you share His grace and love with others in accordance with your new understanding?
I hope that as we grow closer to Christ and live our lives by His example, we continue to boast about what really matters.
Have a blessed Monday!
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Great post, Rebecca! I’ve pinned to my God Matters board and know this very well-researched post will bless many!
Thank you so much, Beth! I really appreciate it and hope that it brings others closer to God. Blessings.