THANKFUL

Chatting with Jesus

Friday, March 24, 2023

Lord, Your Word tells us, “You approve of those who are good, but condemn those who plan wickedness” Proverbs 12:2 (NLT). Other biblical translations say You give favor to those whose hearts seek You. How grateful we are You approve those who are good, because if You said You approve of those who are perfect, everyone would be left out. You look at our heart and know everything about us. However, I have a question. According to Your Word, does everyone have the potential to do good as well as have the capacity to act wickedly? Even for Christ followers, are You inferring we can do both? Even after You have redeemed us, do we still have within us the potential to do evil? As well as good? (Lord, that’s me.)

Sadly, yes. But by Your grace, we are given the choice: do good, or act in ways that otherwise dishonors You?

Your definition of doing good is to seek to make You the center of our life and live by Your precepts even though You know we will fail from time to time. We will never be perfect as the skeptics expect we should be. The mockers delight in calling us hypocrites. What they cannot understand, or to their detriment, refuse to understand, is that You forgive and redeem sinners like us through faith in Jesus, and not by our good works or charitable deeds, regardless how noble they may be, (Ephesians 2:8,9). Only You, Lord Jesus, are perfect.

Lord, in this broken world, help us stay close to You. Give us Your grace to consistently what is good—for us, for others in our world—so we may honor Your Kingdom. Amen. When we falter, Your grace will always bring us back.

Amen, Jesus.