The Lord in our Righteousness
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Isaiah 54:9-10
9. "For this is like the days of Noah to me: as I swore that the waters of Noah should no more go over the earth, so I have sworn that I will not be angry with you and will not rebuke you. 10. For the mountains may depart and the hills be removed, but my steadfast love shall not depart from you, and my covenant of peace shall not be removed, says the Lord, who has compassion on you.
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Behold, the days are coming, says the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and
righteousness in the land. In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: "The Lord is our righteousness."
A couple of different thoughts this morning. First, God keeps his promises. In Isaiah, he draws the listeners back to the days of Noah, a long, long time ago, so they have assurance that he “means it” this time too. Second, God uses progressively more illustrative and definitive assurances as the time of Christ approaches in history.
These passages tell us not to worry, God is with us and will save us. There is a “but” in there though! The trainer I had for a seminar on communicating with “tact and finesse” would shudder at that thought! She said that word should be eliminated from our language because of the negative connotation! But it applies here! God will certainly keep up his end of the covenant! But in order to take advantage of it, to be recipients of his great love and mercy, we must make the next move!
We must decide to believe. We must turn away from our former ways and strive after the kind of life that is worthy of the promise. We must seek God in every decision and imitate Christ in every action and word. Those are some big “buts!” But: God has given us a way to achieve the perfection for which we strive. The Cross. That’s the greatest promise of all! Jehovah-Tsidkenu. The Lord is our Righteousness.
Only because of and through His righteousness are we found righteous and so acceptable to God. I can’t think of a more wonderful Christmas gift than to be made perfect through the one who was perfection. We are sons of God because of his sacrifice.
I hope today you repent of all those “buts” in your life. And that you lift a prayer of gratitude that Christ became your sin in order to make you righteous.
Mary
