June 25, 2001
He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these,
for he is the Maker of all things,
including Israel, the tribe of his inheritance--
the LORD Almighty is his name.
Jeremiah 10:16
Jeremiah 10: 2-16 is a great passage about the contrast between idols and the living God. The prophet is on the one hand poking fun at the foolishness of worshipping a carved image that has no more life in it than a scarecrow in a field. He uses that contrast to point out some incredible qualities of the one, true, living God!! God is great, his name is mighty, there is no one like him, he is a living and eternal King, he gets angry and it has a powerful effect - the earth trembles. He created the world through his wisdom, power and understanding... what dead lifeless idol can lay claim to anything comparable?? The most amazing of all his qualities is found in vs. 16... the prophet now uses a phrase to help us understand that this great powerful, fearsome God is also a tender affectionate, loving God who never takes his eye of his children... like an ever watchful parent. He refers to God as the "Portion of Jacob". In Deuteronomy 32:9 when God was giving out land as an inheritance he chose the people for himself, they were to be his portion... all he wanted... it's amazing that of everything God created he only wants us. Through all the years, all the sin, all the faithlessness... God's desire for his people never dims! He still wants us as his portion but even more he wants to be THE portion for his people. He wants to be all we'll ever need in this life and in this world. Everything said before makes it clear that God can meet all our needs.. he has the wisdom, power, understanding, ability etc.. more than all that, God has the heart and desire to be that for us. I don't know if it will ever be possible this side of heaven to fully understand God's love for us.. what I'm sure of... is it's real! The challenge for me is to get to, and live at, the place where God is enough for me...
"LORD, you have assigned me my portion and my cup;
you have made my lot secure. "
Psalm 16:5
My flesh and my heart may fail,
but God is the strength of my heart
and my portion forever.
Psalm 73:26
"You are my portion O Lord;
I have promised to obey your words.
I have sought your face with all my heart;
be gracious to me according to your promise.
Psalm 119:57-58
I say to myself, "The LORD is my portion;
therefore I will wait for him."
Lamentations 3:24