The world around us often measures a person’s worth by how clever they are, how powerful their position or influence is, and how much money they have. Without realising it, we too are often tempted to link our very existence to these three things. If any of them are missing, it feels as though the world is coming to an end and cannot go on. Is this really the case?

In our reading, God reminds the people of Judah that wisdom, strength and wealth are such fragile foundations of life. Judah had fallen into a false sense of security created by these three things; they felt they had wise leaders and wealthy nobles. However, when God brought His disciplinethrough their defeat and the exile of Judah to Babylon, it became clear that these three things could not in any way save Judah from what He had decreed.                                             

The people of Judah were so captivated by outward things, including outward acts of worship, yet they never truly lived out a relationship of complete obedience to Him. Their hearts were never truly submitted to God. Indeed, salvation comes when the heart is directed towards His decrees and God’s Word becomes the guide in human life. Disaster was inevitable for Judah because they had truly forsaken God. 

Dear Friends of the Bible, let us restore our sense of security and certainty through our relationship with Him and our obedience to Him. We are often so eager to pursue what we perceive as the source of our certainty through a worldly lens. Yet these things are illusory and lead us towards a life devoid of meaning. Therefore, let us live in a right relationship with Him, for God is the sole source of meaning in our lives.