Know yourself, and surrender to Jesus
“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—” Revelation 3:17 NKJV
Self righteousness, the sin of the Pharisee, a skewed comparison of yourself to others that makes you appear better than others, if even in your own mind and attitude, is a curse. The more we think we’ve got it all together the more we are fooling ourselves. Jesus is neither fooled nor amused. He urges the self-righteous to take a more honest inventory of their lives, but he doesn’t wait around for them. His death, burial and resurrection demonstrated that Christ alone is righteous and holy – all ours, as Isaiah points out, are just filthy rags – but some of us still insist our ‘rags’ are cleaners than others, nonetheless. So Jesus moves on.
When Jesus heard this, he told them, "Healthy people don't need a doctor–sick people do. I have come to call not those who think they are righteous, but those who know they are sinners." Mark 2:17 LBT
He moves to those who see themselves rightly. They know they are a far cry from righteous, that they are marred and mis-shapen by bad choices. And He calls to them – to you, and says “Come to me, I will give you rest.”
Before anything else today, dear one, realize that God loves you, that He sees you right now and He knows your struggling heart. Talk to Him, He is listening. In fact, He is thinking of you this very second.
I am poor and weak, yet the Lord is thinking about me right now! Psalm 40:17 LB
Sincerely,
Ed
