Living is often a painful reminder of all that we are and all that we are not. A typical day is filled with affirmations that we are not want we want to be, and that we fall short. You throw God into the mix and it is easy to see him as the period at the end of the indicting sentence, just one divine conclusion of all that we feel. Yet the Psalmist, plagued by the same self loathing, takes a different turn evidenced by his cry, "O God of my righteousness."
God is holy, perfect and all that One could ever be, but he is so, not to condemn us, but he is so for us! He is our righteousness, not one who merely rubs our face in the fact that we are not, but He has actually come to be all we are not, for us. He has lived under the law in our place, just as certainly as He faced the Father's judgment on the cross. He has accomplished all we have failed to accomplish to present us holy in Him! We are, as Martin Luther said, sinful, yet righteous at the same time.
I cannot think of a truth that has made more impact on me in my daily living than this. My thoughts, words and deeds consistently remind me of what I am not, but Jesus' life reminds me of what I really am, and this is a power that humbles and emboldens me. It leaves me no room for boasting in me, but every reason to boast in Jesus. I grow small when I look at my sin, but He grows large when I look at his obedience realizing He was obeying for me, to present me as all that I am not in, and of myself, to the Father! When I closest to God, which is only when I am rehearsing this truth, do I pray, "O God of my righteousness!"
It is because of this and in this reality that he can and does rebuke us. If we didn't have His love and acceptance we would not be able to hear His correction. We are just too sensitive and self loathing. Yet, in light of His love, He can say and we can hear, "How long will my honor be turned into shame?" and "How long will you love vain words and seek after lies?" Knowing He loves and accepts us gives us insight into his motivation for correction. You see if he has accomplished our salvation, and is our righteousness, the primary reason for seeking our holiness is our good. Just like your mother and I want your obedience because we want to protect your heart and life from harm, so His love demands that He pursue us for good, for His good IS best. He confirms this motivation when he says, "The Lord set's apart the godly for himself!" After investing so much in us, he wants us for himself. The One who knows you perfectly wants you for himself!
When we believe this, it has real impact in our lives. The ESV reads, "You have put more joy in my heart than they have when their grain and wine abound." This is the purpose of food and drink, as you have heard me say many times before, is to give us a taste, a real experience of His superior goodness! Any good thing in this world is a shadow of his goodness. Yet it is a shadow He wants us to experience that we might be attracted, as David is, to Him! Food and wine is not god, thus will kill us when we replace Him with them, but both are a taste of God meant to entice us to Him. His righteousness and love is better than grain and wine, but grain and wine make His love accessible and real. That is good news and news we can relate to if our bellies have ever been full or our hearts made glad with wine.
He ends the psalm in peace and rest. Rest is hard to come by in our world. Life is fast paced and rarely quiet, but rest comes when we meditate on Him, all He has done for us and all He is for us. He is our righteousness, the One who performed in our place that He might delight in us and possess us for Himself bringing us better joy than grain and wine, and that is peace!
Great game Thursday night and I hope you are well today!
Love,
dad
Thank you!! I love reading these...
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