Jeremiah 23:1, 2b-4a 5-6 - "Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of My pasture!" declares the LORD. ... "You have scattered My flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the LORD. Then I will gather the remnant of My flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing. ... Behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and He shall reign as King and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. In His days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the Name by which He will be called: 'The LORD is our righteousness.'"
Have you ever had what people call a "wardrobe malfunction"? There you are at work, and suddenly you drop a cup of coffee in your lap, or you have an unfortunate biological moment and you're not fit to be seen. If someone lends you an extra set of clothing, how grateful you are!
That's rather like our situation with God, to tell the truth. Because if we look deep into our own hearts, we have to admit we aren't fit to be seen in public the way we are. We may gossip, carry grudges, and bend the truth in our favor; we ignore the human need in front of us because we're tired or crabby that day, and surely someone else will deal with it. Isaiah is right when he says, "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment" (Isaiah 64:6a). Our personal goodness is in no shape to be seen in public. I'm not about to come before God wearing that!
Thank God, we don't have to. We have Jesus, and one of His many names is "The Lord is our righteousness." Because we belong to Him, He lets us borrow His clothes, as it were—covers us with His own goodness and holiness and health, so we don't have to be ashamed to be seen in public. We can even stand before God the Father in peace, knowing that He will welcome us. Jesus' righteousness covers all our sin.
How can this be? Because it was God's plan from the beginning, as we can see from His promises all throughout the Bible. God knew what we were, yet He still loved us. And so He became our Savior. God Himself came into our world as the only truly good, sane, and healthy human being there ever was-the only one without a single crack in His integrity. And then Jesus took all of our sin and shame and guilt on Himself, and destroyed it at the cross.
When Jesus rose from the dead, He came bringing us gifts—forgiveness and peace with God. Righteousness that will never put us to shame. Everlasting life and joy and happiness with God and God's people. And Himself, to be our much-loved Savior forever.
WE PRAY: Thank You, Lord Jesus, for being my righteousness. Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. When have you borrowed someone else's clothes?
2. Would you rather wear Jesus' righteousness, or get a second chance to start over with your own?
3. Why?
Today's Bible Readings: 2 Kings 15-16 Galatians 3
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