RightStanding | Kristi's Morning Devotional

We spent Tuesday and Wednesday on the road, driving home. Outside of a couple of construction zones and a few spots of congested traffic the drive was uneventful, just the kind we like.

I have no idea how many thousands of miles we have traveled over the years. God’s hand of protection has guided us. Protection. A gift that I never take for granted.

I was reminded of another gift that God has blessed us with when I was reading this morning, The gift of righteousness. Simply put, righteousness means right-standing or acceptable.

“There is a lot of difference between Adam’s sin and God’s gift. That one sin led to punishment. But God’s gift made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times. ¹⁷Death ruled like a king because Adam had sinned. But that cannot compare with what Jesus Christ has done. God has treated us with undeserved grace, and he has accepted us because of Jesus. And so we will live and rule like kings.

¹⁸ Everyone was going to be punished because Adam sinned. But because of the good thing that Christ has done, God accepts us and gives us the gift of life. ¹⁹Adam disobeyed God and caused many others to be sinners. But Jesus obeyed him and will make many people acceptable to God.” Romans 5:16-19 CEV

God’s gift of right-standing isn’t seasonal; it’s a gift 24-7-365. Every day, all year long. Right-standing with God has been granted and as the verse says, “made it possible for us to be acceptable to him, even though we have sinned many times.”

The reason Christ came was to pay the price for our sins. Something we were and are unable to do on our own.

“When anyone is in Christ, it is a whole new world. The old things are gone; suddenly, everything is new! ¹⁸All this is from God. Through Christ, God made peace between himself and us. And God gave us the work of bringing people into peace with him. ¹⁹I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people. ²⁰So we have been sent to speak for Christ. It is like God is calling to people through us. We speak for Christ when we beg you to be at peace with God. ²¹Christ had no sin, but God made him become sin so that in Christ we could be right with God.” II Corinthians 5:17-21 ERV

This was God’s plan from the beginning; He wanted us to be a part of His family and to live with Him in His home. The gift of right standing with God is like coming home!

For the next few days we will be going through Isaiah 55. It is a wonderful chapter, filled with promises of God for those who love Him.

A couple days back we talked about heart health. I truly believe that one of the biggest worries people have concerns finances. Worried when they don’t have enough and when they are financially prosperous, they worry that they may lose it.

“Is anyone thirsty? Come and drink— even if you have no money! Come, take your choice of wine or milk— it’s all free! ²Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength? Why pay for food that does you no good? Listen to me, and you will eat what is good. You will enjoy the finest food.” vs. 1-2 NLT

When God, the Father, first established a relationship with Abraham, the man who would be the father of the nation of Israel, God promised to be his provider.

“Abraham named the place Yahweh-Yireh (which means “the Lord will provide”). To this day, people still use that name as a proverb: “On the mountain of the Lord it will be provided.’…¹⁸And through your descendants all the nations of the earth will be blessed—all because you have obeyed me.” Genesis 22:14-18 NLT

Because of our relationship with Christ we have become a descendant of Abraham and the blessings and promises God made to him are also available to us as his descendants. Paul, the Apostle, wrote this:

“Through Christ Jesus, God has blessed the Gentiles with the same blessing he promised to Abraham, so that we who are believers might receive the promised Holy Spirit through faith.” Galatians 3:14 NLT

The Lord delivered Abraham’s descendants from the bondage of Egypt and He provided for them while they wandered in the desert.

“Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good! His faithful love endures forever…For he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things.” Psalm 107:1, 9 NLT

One of the first teachings Jesus gave is what many call the Sermon on the Mount. A multitude was following Jesus – they longed to hear what He had to say. So, from the mountainside Jesus delivered this message:

“Those who are hungry and thirsty to be right with God are happy, because they will be filled.” Matthew 5:6 NLV

and His message continued

“That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food and drink, or enough clothes to wear. Isn’t life more than food, and your body more than clothing? ²⁶Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to him than they are?…So don’t worry about these things, saying, ‘What will we eat? What will we drink? What will we wear?’ ³²These things dominate the thoughts of unbelievers, but your heavenly Father already knows all your needs. ³³Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.” Matthew 6:25-33 NLT

We are more precious than the birds. When we give our lives to Christ, we become children of God, most high.

Thirsty?

“…Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! ³⁸Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”³⁹(When he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been given, because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)” John 7:37-39 NLT

Come drink. Our heavenly Father has provided for our needs!

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