It is such a reassuring experience to know that in spite of who I am and what I have done the pour God is interested in covering us with His blood so that we could be righteous. When we look at ourselves there is absolutely nothing that we could boast about nor do we have any characteristic that makes us worthy enough to be vessels or channels of God’s grace. Yet, in spite of what we do not possess God is willing to bestow in copious showers that leaves us amazed at His awesomeness. One of the most difficult things for us as mankind is to be good. No matter how well we may behave externally no one is painfully aware of our internal struggles as God is. Paul in his own experience of the human struggle to become reminds us in Romans 7:23-25 “23but I see a different law in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin which is in my members. 24Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death? 25Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! So then, on the one hand I myself with my mind am serving the law of God, but on the other, with my flesh the law of sin”. That is the reality that each of us face on a daily basis where we want to be covered by the righteousness of God but we find ourselves overwhelmed by the vagaries of sin and selfishness. But you see friends; God wants us to realize that righteousness is not about what we do or not know but it is centered on a relationship with the one who alone could make us become. Hallelujah!!! Righteousness then has everything to do with God who is able to transform my character into His character so that I may reflect Him. When this occurs, you and I will no longer have to wonder if we are behaving right since the one who is in control of our lives causes us to become right with God since it is about character development. I thank God that He does not judge me based on behavior since as humans we often know how to behave in circumstances and this often has nothing to do with our character. I give Him thanks that He judges my character for my character is who I am even when no one is taking notice of me. It is only when our characters are aligned to God’s divine purpose for our lives that we could truly reflect the righteous living. Here is how Paul puts it in Philippians 3:3-14 “3For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh—4though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; 6as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless. 7But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. 8What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ 9and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. 10I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead. 12Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. 13Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, 14I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus”. Today, let us rejoice that God is able to make us righteous in Him and in so doing we need not fear whether our behaviours will be right for we will reflect His character in all that we do. Thank you Jesus!!!
Posted on: Sun, 16 Mar 2014 10:33:53 +0000
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