“The blameless spend their days under the LORD’s care, and their inheritance will endure forever.” Psalms 37:18 NIV
Have you ever wondered if it is all worth it? All of us have been in that place of despair recounting the cost of serving the Lord. Fear not! You are in good company. One of the greatest Old Testament prophets found himself in the same position. After seeing a great and powerful move of God, the Queen threatened him, and he ran!
“Now Ahab told Jezebel all that Elijah had done, and how he had killed all the prophets [of Baal] with the sword. 2Then Jezebel sent a messenger to Elijah, saying, “So may the gods do to me, and even more, if by this time tomorrow I do not make your life like the life of one of them.” 3And Elijah was afraid and arose and ran for his life, and he came to Beersheba which belongs to Judah, and he left his servant there. 4But he himself traveled a day’s journey into the wilderness, and he came and sat down under a juniper tree and asked [God] that he might die. He said, “It is enough; now, O LORD, take my life, for I am no better than my fathers.” 1 Kings 19:1-4 AMP
The Apostle Peter experienced a similar moment as he waited to watch what would happen to Jesus’ after Jesus’ arrest.
“Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard, and a servant-girl came up to him and said, “You too were with Jesus the Galilean.” 70But he denied it before them all, saying, “I do not know what you are talking about.” 71And when he had gone out to the gateway, another servant-girl saw him and she said to the bystanders, “This man was with Jesus the Nazarene.” 72And again he denied it with an oath, “I do not know the man.” 73After a little while the bystanders came up and said to Peter, “Surely you are one of them too; for even your [Galilean] accent gives you away.” 74Then he began to curse [that is, to invoke God’s judgment on himself] and swear [an oath], “I do not know the man!” And at that moment a rooster crowed. 75And Peter remembered the [prophetic] words of Jesus, when He had said, “Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly [in repentance].”
Matthew 26:69-75 AMP
The Scripture is clear that God knows our weaknesses!
“For we do not have a High Priest who is unable to sympathize and understand our weaknesses and temptations, but One who has been tempted [knowing exactly how it feels to be human] in every respect as we are, yet without [committing any] sin. 16Therefore let us [with privilege] approach the throne of grace [that is, the throne of God’s gracious favor] with confidence and without fear, so that we may receive mercy [for our failures] and find [His amazing] grace to help in time of need [an appropriate blessing, coming just at the right moment].” Hebrews 4:15-16 AMP
I love this verse because it takes all the performance activity out of my relationship with Jesus! Can you see it? “Knowing exactly how it feels to be human in every respect!” That doesn’t give us an out to simply live the way we want but it does remind us of the fact that we are human and will fall victim to the flesh! Our opening verse tells us that the “blameless” live out their days under the protection of God. WOW! Did you know that you are the blameless? The Scripture says that we are the righteousness of Christ.
“I will rejoice greatly in the LORD, My soul will exult in my God; For He has clothed me with garments of salvation, He has covered me with a robe of righteousness, As a bridegroom puts on a turban, And as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.” Isiah 61:10 AMP
Since we are clothed with His righteousness, we can then rest assured that He will cloth us with His care and protection! Take time today to bask in the presence of the One who loves you! There is no other place I’d rather be than under the blood of thee! Have a blessed day, Pastor Ken.