Israel and Judah both were both stubborn in their sin. Both
had become idolatrous and served other false gods (13:10). Israel had been
dispersed in 722 b.c. Judah was now being told through
Jeremiah that they too were coming under the judgment of God some 100 years
later.
But that was not God’s original intent for these people when
he brought them out of Egypt in the Exodus. No his desire for them was “that
they might be for me a people, a name, a praise, and a glory, but they would
not listen.” (13:11) Perhaps we might learn from this and see how God would
have us to live today.
A people: “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a
holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the
excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.”
(1 Peter 2:9) God has called us to be a unique and special people for himself
since he called us also out of darkness.
A name: “And in Antioch the disciples were first called
Christians.” (Acts 11:26) The name “Christian” was probably given to them by
unbelievers in a mocking tone or at least in a sense that identified them as
followers of Jesus Christ. Perhaps by this designation they were saying, “you
remind me of Jesus.” Do we?
A praise: God chose us and predestined us to be his children
“to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the
Beloved.” (Ephesians 3-6) He wants us to praise him with our lives our hearts
and our lips.
A glory: The glory of God is the revelation and
manifestation of the sum total of his attributes. We are called to glorify God,
i.e., to reveal his presence in our lives by the way we live: “for you were
bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:20)
Prayer: Father, help us to be your people and live for you
so that others might see the glory of your grace in us. Help us not to live in
such a way as to cause disrepute to come upon you. Forgive us when we fail.
Strengthen us to be the demonstration of your grace to the world.
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