My Jesus, My Righteousness
Father, you know the utter self-centeredness of my nature inherited from Adam. You know that even when I have examined my heart for hidden motives, which bend me toward self-exaltation, my innate blindness may also prevent me from seeing truth, reality—things as they really are—unless Your Spirit who resides within me comes to my aid with His enlightening power.
Having been conceived and born in sin it takes no conscious effort on my part to stray from You. It is the easiest thing in the world to do. It is like breathing.
Yet you love me. Yet you have mercy upon me. Yet your compassion is not content to stand by and watch—ignoring me—but deliberately moves toward me, not casting me away from your strong arms, but drawing me close, accepting me, as if I were righteous.
Oh, but I am. I am righteous. Yes, you have said so. Not of my own doing. No, but by Your doing.
Having no righteousness of my own by which to approach You—but only sin that separates and hides me from your holy presence— You have undertaken to save my wretched soul.
How? Through Jesus, your righteous Son, who, though in exceeding anguish, willingly endured on His cross the penalty for my unrighteousness in order that He might present to me His perfect righteousness as a gift—in exchange for my sin—in order that He might present me to You as blameless.
Oh, what love is this? Oh, what grace is this that delights to pardon sinners like me? Not only to pardon me for all I have done, thought, or said, but to adopt me—to hold none of my guilt against me—and to count me as a righteous son.
For today I am righteous…by faith in Jesus.
Therefore, I embark upon a new day, not wallowing in my own too-numerous-to-count failures, or ease with which I rebel, but rather delighting in my righteous standing before You—by embracing Jesus.
My Jesus, my Righteousness.
