1 “Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture!” declares the Lord. 2 Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. 3 Then I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and multiply. 4 I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord. 5 “Behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch, and he shall reign as king and deal wisely, and shall execute justice and righteousness in the land. 6 In his days Judah will be saved, and Israel will dwell securely. And this is the name by which he will be called: ‘The Lord is our righteousness.’ 7 “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the Lord, when they shall no longer say, ‘As the Lord lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’
Jeremiah 23:1-7
For the past week, we have meditated on the Lord is my Shepherd! The Lamb will shepherd us! God himself recruited us back into his circle, and he himself will take care of us and make us prosperous. We don’t have to be afraid anymore because he is our shepherd!
God goes a step further not only taking care of us and protecting us but his name will also be called “The Lord is our righteousness”! Instead of judging us for our transgressions, God gave us Messiah the Savior! This Savior becomes our righteousness! Not by our own good works, but all by grace!
When problems occur in work or life, we naturally review ourselves, to confirm that we have done nothing wrong! We always hope that we can tell people that “I did nothing wrong!” That we can claim our “Righteousness”. We may also want to be like Apostle Paul as he finished his life, and hoped for the crown of righteousness that would be laid up for him! We want to claim our own righteousness. But what is the righteousness of the Lord?
Do we want to achieve our own righteousness in our lives, or should we allow God’s righteousness to be upon us?
Let us live in God’s acceptance and joy every day, not because of our own good deeds, but because of Christ’s greatest righteousness for us! ? He makes us the children of God and live in the joy of our Heavenly Father!
Raisins & Apples Bible Devotional & more 