Scripture can paint a grim picture of mankind. We’re spiritually dead in our sins, alienated from God, and objects of His wrath. Can you imagine a scarier situation to be in? But there’s hope for us through faith in Jesus. God opens our eyes to our hopeless condition so we can turn to His Son in repentance and receive the riches of His salvation.
By God’s grace, we’ve been reconciled to Him. On the cross, Jesus bore the Father’s wrath for our sins so we could be forgiven and declared righteous. Now instead of being His enemies, we’re His beloved children. He made us spiritually alive by giving us a new nature created in righteousness and holiness. And now His love has been poured out in our hearts, and we have the sure hope of the glory of heaven.
Knowing how amazing God’s grace is, we should respond with gratitude, praise, and wholehearted devotion. In addition, today’s passage tells us to rejoice not only in God and our hope of glory but also in our troubles. That’s because He graciously uses difficulties to make us like Christ and increase our confidence in His love.
There are many books promising a successful Christian life, but no humanly inspired technique can ever achieve the work of God. Any commitment or rededication that is based on our own effort will not last; true transformation comes from the Holy Spirit alone. That’s why the Lord wants our humble dependence on Him for strength, growth, and perseverance.
Today’s passage reminds us of these basic truths about the Christian life:
• We participate in the working out of our salvation. This isn’t referring to our initial conversion through faith in Christ; rather, it’s the process of sanctification by which we grow into Christlikeness. An obedient, holy lifestyle is something we must choose and pursue.
• We need an attitude of fear and trembling. There should be no flippancy about how we live, because God is holy and we must one day give Him an account of our life.
• God works in us. Jesus said we can do nothing apart from Him (John 15:5). He’s the one who equips and enables us to live in the way He desires.
God has not left us to do the best we can on our own. He is always at work in believers, to fulfill His desired goals for each of us.
Because we’re human, at some point we will all experience inadequacy. So the real issue you and I face is not whether we are sufficient for a task but how we respond when a challenge is beyond our capabilities. Oftentimes as an obstacle grows in our mind, we want to run in the opposite direction, away from the challenge and toward safety. However, avoiding a task that God has given us will lead to bondage. The more we feed our fear, the more we’ll be controlled by feelings of inadequacy, which can impact decisions we make and, ultimately, our future.
Look at the Israelites in today’s passage. Standing on the edge of the Promised Land, they were overcome by fear. The size and strength of the enemy was overwhelming. As a result of their refusal to trust the Lord and move forward to conquer the local inhabitants, those Israelites never saw the land that He wanted to give them. Opportunities are often lost when we let fear overrule our faith.
When God calls you to a task beyond your abilities, acknowledge your feelings of inadequacy and then choose to rely on Him and His promises. By moving forward in faith despite your fear, you will discover the Lord’s faithfulness. He always empowers us for the works He assigns.
Unlike King Hezekiah, you are probably not facing an invading army. But if you’re like most of us, your life is nonetheless full of obstacles, problems, and everyday needs that threaten your sense of peace and security. What do you do about that? Do you rely on your own strength and ingenuity to find a way through, or do you call out to God for help?
One of the purposes of prayer is to make us aware of our own dependence upon the Lord. No concern is too small to bring to Him, and nothing is too big for Him to handle. In fact, we are told to worry about nothing and to pray about everything (Phil. 4:6). The outcome of prayerful dependence is inexplicable peace, even in the midst of unchanged circumstances (Phil. 4:7).
Sometimes we forget that we are creatures who are completely dependent on the Creator for our next breath. Prayer is a privilege God has given His children—it lets us humbly lay our cares before our Father, trusting Him to direct our path and provide for our needs. We have nothing to lose—except our pride and self-sufficiency, along with the resultant fear and anxiety.
In today’s Psalm, David describes a life of integrity—it is marked by truthfulness, righteousness, and honesty. To develop and maintain this God-pleasing lifestyle, we must ...
• Formulate beliefs based on Scripture. Our need for a Savior, Christ’s death on our behalf, salvation by faith alone, and the Father’s gift of eternal life are foundational truths upon which to build our life. As we align our thinking with God’s Word, our identity and priorities should flow from these tenets.
• Submit to Christ’s lordship. Jesus commands us to deny ourselves and follow Him (Mark 8:34). Wholehearted commitment to Him helps us choose righteousness over temptations.
• Build relationships with godly individuals. The influence of mature Christians strengthens our dedication and obedience to the Lord.
• Acknowledge our mistakes. Everyone misses the mark at times. We are to confess any known sin to God (1 John 1:9) and turn away from the wrong behavior. We must also ask for forgiveness from anyone we have wronged.
God understands our struggle to resist temptation and choose righteousness, and He has sent His Holy Spirit to help us live with integrity. Ask Him today to help you embody the values in Psalm 15.
