Thursday April 29, 2021

Today’s Reading: Psalm 5

But I, by your great love, can come into your house; in reverence I bow down toward your holy temple.

Psalm 5:7

Reflection: We cannot depend on our own righteousness to earn us nearness to God, but we can depend upon God’s own righteousness to lead us in His everlasting Way. The psalmist speaks against the wicked, those who are arrogant and deceitful, those who tell lies and are guilty of sin. They are unrighteous because they depend on their own judgment to do what they see is right in their own eyes. But the psalmist also speaks of those who seek the Lord, those who can be deemed righteous only by God’s perfect righteousness which covers them. How similar, then, are the two, who are both in need of God.

It is ridiculous to depend on our own fleeting works to earn ourselves righteousness! For at every turn in our journey of faith, we are tempted by worldly things around us, and pulled away from the Lord by principalities working against Him. But just a turn to the Savior causes the Lord to exchange our failings for His perfection. Just an earnest cry for His refuge leads to true rejoicing. We will not ever achieve righteousness ourselves, but true righteousness is already available to us in our God. It is only by the Lord’s great Love for us that we can enter into His Presence. It is only by His good Will that we are deemed good enough to be near to Him.

Prayer: Righteous God, I give You thanks and praise, for while I was still far off, You drew near to me. While I was lost in unrighteousness, You covered me with the righteousness of Your Son. All glory be to You, Lord, for all that You have done for me. Please keep me mindful of Your goodness. Cause me to meditate on Your righteousness continuously each day, that I would be emptied of myself and filled instead by Your Will and Spirit. I pray all of these things in Jesus’ Name, AMEN.

Thru the Bible in a year (credit: Biblestudytools.com): Luke 7:18-50; Genesis 11; Psalm 5