The Blessings Of Righteousness
BRD REFLECTIONS
(Gordon Tan, Associate Lay Leader)
READ:
Psalm 103:1-14 (ESV)
Psalm 103: 2-5
2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits,
3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases,
4 who redeems your life from the pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,
5 who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s
Psalm 103:10-12
10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.
11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;
12 as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us.
Romans 3:21-26
21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it — 22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, 25 whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. 26 It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.
OBSERVE:
As a Christian, I am so privileged to know a God that desires to bless me. Indeed, He blesses me in so many ways. Psalm 103 enumerates just some of the wonderful blessings our God has bestowed on me. The chief of blessings is that He has forgiven all my sins (“forgives all your iniquity”). Not only has He forgiven me my sins, I know he will also continually heal and renew me. His healing would deliver me from the depths of suffering (“who redeems your life from the pit”); His healing would provide me comfort and care (“who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy”); His healing would add strength and I would be energised by the goodness I know I would receive every day (“who satisfies you with good so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s”). I want to learn to count my blessings daily. And as I count them, I want to learn to be grateful and worship my ‘Jehovah Jireh’ (The Lord will provide), my ‘Elohim Shomri’ (God is my protector).
APPLY:
In counting my blessings daily, I must start with a clear understanding that it is because God loves us and He does not count my sins and my sinful ways that I can receive His blessings. And the only reason I stand free from all my sins and sinfulness is because He has granted me righteousness through the Cross of Jesus (“the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe”). It is because God has promised that “as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west, so far does he remove our transgressions from us”, that I dare stand before Him. And so, I accept His love towards me daily, and my response should be one of worship.
DO:
No other religion in the world leads one to a god or supreme being that forgives sins, blesses without conditions, provides and protects without demands. Our God does not see our good deeds as transactions for blessings. He freely blesses us out of ‘agape’ love, the divine love that exists regardless of circumstance. And so, my worship to Him is my wanting to pursue righteousness for His sake, wanting to love and praise Him because of His love for me. I want to do it not for the blessings but for Him.
PRAY:
Almighty Heavenly Father, I want to thank You for first loving me. I want to thank You for the free gift of Jesus, who for the love for us, went obediently to the cross to pay for my sin, to heal me from my sinfulness, to deliver me from my sinful ways. And because I am Your child as a result of it, in gratitude I want to offer my life to pursue righteousness, the righteousness that will please You. I want to worship You from the bottom of my heart for the many blessings daily. Help me Lord to count Your Blessings one by one. Help me Lord to recognise how You are working in my life. O Lord Almighty, my Jehovah Jireh, my Elohim Shomri. With a grateful heart I pray in Jesus’ name.
