Blowing My Trumpet!

We don't need to learn how to boast — it comes naturally. We boast about our favourite football teams, or about our skill at doing this or that. The truth is we really like to boast about something — we like to blow our own trumpet!

Paul the Apostle was often given to boasting or glorying, as it is often translated in some Bibles. The words mean the same thing. When Paul boasted about himself it was to make fun of himself - "boasting like a fool," as he writes in 2 Corinthians 11. But Paul loved to boast in Jesus Christ. In Galatians 6:14 Paul wrote, "But far be it from me to boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ..." The Lord Jesus was Paul's hero and he loved boasting about him and about all that he had done for him.

Many centuries ago a man named Ambrose was the leader of the church in the city of Milan. He was a fine Christian teacher. One of his good sayings was this: "I will glory (boast), not because I am righteous, but because I am redeemed. I will glory, not because I am free from sins but because my sins are forgiven me." Paul would have agreed wholeheartedly with Ambrose. So are we going to boast? Certainly not about ourselves. Of course we can cheer on our sporting heroes. But let us boast in the Lord Jesus for who he is and for what he has done for us.

Prayer

Dear Lord Jesus, may I never tire of boasting in you. Amen.