October 11, 2021
Good and upright is the Lord; Therefore He teaches sinners in the way.
~Psalms 25:8~
We too often focus on the fact that we are naturally sinners and fail to meet requirements of holiness. We hear messages that point out the fallen nature of who we are verses the risen glory Jesus has bought us to be a part of. We point out all the wrong things with who we are when He is showing us all the right things we can grow in to be. Jesus is truely righteous and upright. He is our Teacher, we can only learn in how to follow in this manner through spending time with Him. "Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”
(Luke 6:38)
When we put in all of our time to get to know Jesus that much more personally, we begin to conform to who He is. Have you ever found youself acting a specific way around people, almost as if you were taking on their personality to impress them? In the same way we find ourselves doing this; the more we give to Jesus the more we will take on in our way of living. The measure we give to Him will be measured back to us. Jesus is longing to teach all of us in His upright ways. He is the Holy One, filled with true goodness. Because He is, we can be. While we get stuck focusing on our "fallen state," Jesus is looking to shape us into His very image; an upright presence. "And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man."
(I Corinthians 15:49)
How grateful we shall be each day we arise and realize what Christ has really given to us. Salvation comes with the gift of walking this earth bearing His image, His righteousness and representing goodness that we learn from Him alone. Our God is so good beyond words we can even attempt to speak. His desire is for us to go back to the way He created us to be; "So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them."
(Genesis 1:27)
As sinners, we can be taught and we can be changed a new. By the grace of God we are new creations and can stand upright in the truth of knowing just that. What is stopping us from accepting all that God has provided to us? Are there excuses keeping us from spending good quality time with the only One who can teach us how to be upright? Upright in heart, upright spirit, upright in mind, upright in body. We have the priviledge of leaning on Jesus Christ every day we are gifted on this earth to become the men and women of God He destined us to be. Surely we are sinners, but that is not who He sees us as the more we shape ourselves into who He is. It may take sacrifice of things we once loved, ways we once talked or responded, or deeds we once attempted. For it is up to us to follow and learn from Him who is good and upright. "Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls."
(Matthew 11:29)
There is no need to feel sorrow for who we once were or who we have decided to try to be like. It is time to set aside our days for the Lord Jesus, asking Him to teach us in all His ways. As we hunger for Him, He will respond in the way He knows best, with His tender loving mercy for us. Because He is, so are we, if we so choose to be.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank you for teaching me each and everyday. I long for Your knowledge in me to increase so I may take on the image of Your Son, while decreasing myself. I pray that I may walk upright in all ways just as my Lord. The opportunity of knowing You, being with You and aligning to You is the greatest gift I have ever received. Any parts of me that need to be taught further, I open myself up to You to help me. I can only be because You are. I am blessed and thankful. May all praise be given to the One who is good and upright, who has given His life to redeem mine. My King, my Lord, my Teacher; Jesus Christ. Amen.