We Are Not Righteous!

Reading:  Deuteronomy 9. 10
My Verse:  "Do not say in your heart, after the LORD your God has thrust them out before you, 'It is because of my righteousness that the LORD has brought me in to possess this land, whereas it is because of the wickedness of these nations that the LORD is driving them out before you" (9:4).

Again, You remind us of the way it is!  You do not save us because we are worthy of Your salvation.  You do not bless us because we are worthy of Your blessing!  Only You, LORD God are worthy of love and praise.  All that You do here on earth is because of Your love and holiness.  No, the Israelites were not worthy of what You did for them.

How important it is to read Your Word, LORD God, Your whole Word!  That You would not simply destroy a people to make way for the Israelites is so important for us to understand.  You gave the people of the land that the Israelites were going into time to come back to You.  You only finally destroyed them when it was clear that this would not happen -that they would not repent of their sin and change their ways.  And this is how You deal with each individual.  We are not worthy but You give each human being that opportunity to come to You.  You are a holy God but You are also a God of love and grace. You do not want that any should perish.  "The LORD is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patent toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance" (2 Peter 3:9).

There is so much I do not understand.  I do not understand why Adam and Eve had to do what they did.  Their action resulted in each and every human after them being born a sinner.  Their action made it necessary for each of us to come to that decision of how we want to live our life - how we are going to respond to You. I know that when I get to heaven all will be clear.  Then we will have understanding.

No, we are not righteous.  We are so undeserving.  And yet, You, LORD Jesus did that which is unthinkable.  You offered Yourself up as the final ultimate sacrifice for each of us.  You made it possible for us to come back into fellowship with You.  Thank You.  Thank You for loving me even before I knew You or loved You.  It is only because of Your love that I am even able to love.  "We love because He first loved us" (1 John 4:19).

Thank You, LORD God for this lesson on our unworthiness.  Pride is such an awful thing and You warn us of it often.  It becomes a wedge that keeps us from fellowship with You.  It leads us to destruction.

"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
"When pride comes then comes disgrace, but with humility comes wisdom" (Proverbs 11:2).
"The terror you inspire and the pride of your heart have deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks, who occupy the heights of the hill.  Though you build your nest as high as the eagle's, from there I will bring you down," declared the LORD" (Jeremiah 49:16).
"The pride of your heart has deceived you, you who live in the clefts of the rocks and make your home on the heights, you who say to yourself, 'Who can bring me down to the ground?" (Obadiah 1:3).

No we are not worthy of You.  We are unrighteous.  

     "None is righteous, no, not one;
        no one understands;
       no one seeks for God.
     All have turned aside; together theyhave become worthless;
        no one does good,
         not even one" (Romans 10-12).

     "All we like sheep have gone astray;
        we have turned - every one - to his own way;
      And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6).

Yes, the Isaelites needed warning here - as to we!

Ditat Deus - God Enriches!