WEEK 25 – DAY 2

June 22, 2021

THE BLESSING OF RIGHTEOUSNESS

Now to him that worketh is the reward not reckoned of grace, but of debt. But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted  for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. Romans 4:4-8

Often, we see someone who is financially well off or has a happy family of children who all have their doctorates and say, “She is extremely blessed.” Well, yes and no. These are blessings from the Lord, but if she does not have a relationship with Him, she is missing the greatest blessing of all – redemption. All of us who have surrendered to the lordship of Christ are supremely blessed. We are truly well off because we have been given the greatest gift of all. Christ died to grant us salvation from our sin and give us the opportunity to be righteous through our relationship with him. Some of the happiest and godliest people I’ve known had few of what this world would call blessings. In fact, these are often the people who have been through the most severe trials and have lost possessions or even loved ones. I have a friend who within two years lost all three of her brothers to cancer, yet she radiates the joy of the Lord and expresses her concern for others rather than wallowing in self-pity. I know people who live one paycheck away from homelessness but serve the Lord with gladness every day. I believe these are Christians who truly understand that they are blessed to be forgiven. They value their salvation and realize that God has already given them more than they deserve. They realize that heaven is a gift more splendid than anything their imagination could conjure up. They live each day praising the Lord for his supreme blessing rather than seeking the things of this world.

Father, help us to live as ones who have been blessed, who are happy and well off. Help us to keep our eyes fixed on You and Your kingdom rather than looking around and comparing the things we own to the things of others. Thank You for forgiving us.