The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Matthew 5:48,
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Here is a command from Jesus to his disciples as he taught them in his sermon on the mount.
"Be perfect. Therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Where does that leave me?
I am not now perfect, I have never known myself to be perfect for more than a period of a few minutes, and I honestly don't see perfection in the near term for me here in this life. It is not that I don't want to be perfect, but I have a sinful nature within me that still abides, and, as a result, I can't claim perfection.
I look forward to a time when I will hopefully reach a degree of perfection in the resurrection of life, where my old sin nature will have been left behind. Until then I am a man who struggles at times. Because of this, I am wholly and entirely dependent upon the mercy of God. I need the salvation God provides because I simply cannot achieve that state of perfection on my own. Instead of receiving acknowledgement and reward for being a perfect person, I can only look to God for his forgiveness, his mercy, his kindness and his love, a love that I do not deserve.
I am convinced the reason Jesus told his followers to be as perfect as God in heaven was to help them recognize their shortcomings, their need of God's mercy, their need of God's provision for their sins in his courtroom. After all, why would a person reach out for a savior if they have no felt need for being saved? We have to be aware we have a need of God's forgiveness for our sins before we seek that forgiveness. When we realize our sinful condition we can but only cry out to God for his forgiveness, his mercy.
When it comes to God's commands, I am reminded of what Paul had to say, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." Romans 3:20.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect."
Here is a command from Jesus to his disciples as he taught them in his sermon on the mount.
"Be perfect. Therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect." Where does that leave me?
I am not now perfect, I have never known myself to be perfect for more than a period of a few minutes, and I honestly don't see perfection in the near term for me here in this life. It is not that I don't want to be perfect, but I have a sinful nature within me that still abides, and, as a result, I can't claim perfection.
I look forward to a time when I will hopefully reach a degree of perfection in the resurrection of life, where my old sin nature will have been left behind. Until then I am a man who struggles at times. Because of this, I am wholly and entirely dependent upon the mercy of God. I need the salvation God provides because I simply cannot achieve that state of perfection on my own. Instead of receiving acknowledgement and reward for being a perfect person, I can only look to God for his forgiveness, his mercy, his kindness and his love, a love that I do not deserve.
I am convinced the reason Jesus told his followers to be as perfect as God in heaven was to help them recognize their shortcomings, their need of God's mercy, their need of God's provision for their sins in his courtroom. After all, why would a person reach out for a savior if they have no felt need for being saved? We have to be aware we have a need of God's forgiveness for our sins before we seek that forgiveness. When we realize our sinful condition we can but only cry out to God for his forgiveness, his mercy.
When it comes to God's commands, I am reminded of what Paul had to say, "Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sin." Romans 3:20.
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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