The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
"Unworthy… Worthy"
Jacob expressed one of the truest statements in all Scripture, and one that every born again believer in the Lord Jesus Christ echoes.
"I am not worthy of the least of all the mercies, and of all the truth, which Thou hast showed unto Thy servant" (Genesis 32:10).
Jacob was most surely not worthy, nor are we. The Lord Jesus Christ, however, was and is. Throughout history, God has always related to those who trust Him not based who we are or what we have done, but rather by who the Lord Jesus is and what He has done. The saints of old looked forward to a Redeemer promised in Eden, and the promises declared in the Old Testament law and prophets. The saints of the New Testament look back on a promise kept, and a Savior known by name and the fulfillment of God's saving purpose. This glorious salvation means that our Father gave to His Son what we deserve on the cross of Calvary, that He might give to us what Christ deserves as the freest gift ever given, purchased by the highest cost ever remitted.
"He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21).
"He that spared not His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?"
(Romans 8:32).
In moments of blessing we know we do not merit, the Spirit of God beckons our hearts to see the Savior who merited all blessing as the sole basis of the mercy God bestows. In times of failure, when we know ourselves worthy of rejection, God beckons our hearts to see the One who "bore our sins," and was "made to be sin" for us (I Peter 2:24). Thereby, we arise to walk in the grace of His worthiness. This elicits the dual sensibilities of humility and confidence that pervade the hearts of all who confess "I am not worthy" as the prelude to the anthem we will sing forever, "Worthy is the Lamb!" (Revelation 5:12).
He is. Indeed, the Lord Jesus is worthy enough in the sight of our Father that His righteousness can be imparted to us as a free gift, purchased by the highest of all costs. Christ's death made atonement for our sins. His resurrection made possible and actual the gift of eternal life to all who believe. His inherent righteousness avails as our imputed righteousness, providing relationship and standing with God based solely on the Savior's person and work. "Accepted in the Beloved" declared the Apostle Paul of our only hope for worthiness in the sight of God, and the only hope we need (Ephesians 1:6). "I am not worthy!" rightly confessed Jacob. We concur about ourselves, but in the light of the Gospel, we add in wonder, gratitude, and love, "Worthy is the Lamb!"
"And lest the shadow of a spot should on my soul be found, He took the robe the Savior wrought, and cast it all around!" (Isaac
Watts, "Awake My Heart, Arise My Tongue").
"And Abraham received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had yet being uncircumcised: that he might be the father of all them that believe, though they be not circumcised; that righteousness might be imputed unto them also. And therefore it was imputed to him for righteousness… Now it was not written for his sake alone, that it was imputed to him. But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on Him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead."
(Roman s 4:11; 22-24)
Weekly Memory Verse
Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of Mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock.
(Matthew 7:24)
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