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“Keep your servant also from willful sins; may they not rule over me” (Psalm 19:13)

Let me tell you a short story before I start off. I have a 7-month-old dog, an Indian breed that I adopted from the streets. He’s too cute at the same time really naughty. When boredom strikes, he chews off whatever is in front of him. The wood of the sofa, my OnePlus charger cable, the cushion cover, and the list goes on. Each time he bites something that he shouldn’t have, I try my best to make him understand that it’s wrong. I don’t get too frustrated as most of the things he bites are things that are easily replaceable. Yesterday he bit off a new pair of slippers that was less than a week old. I’m sure he didn’t know it was new, but I got really frustrated and angry at him. As I was cleaning up the mess, I was thinking why does he do it again and again, although knowing that I wouldn’t like what he’s doing.

It struck me hard at this point. It’s something similar to our relationship with the Master. Unlike a dog, we’re made in the image of our Master, and we know that God considers us a lot more precious than what a fallen master like me considers my dog to be. But the attitude of us servants is the same. We know that something is very wrong. We know that whenever we do that wrong thing it grieves the Master, and yet we do it. I’m not suggesting here that we list out the law and the teaching of Jesus, and try to live according to it like a Pharisee.

But Jesus did say this, “…unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven”(Matt. 5:20). The only way we’ll able to attain this level of righteousness is by our faith in Jesus Christ and His finished work on the cross. By placing our faith in Jesus, His righteousness is imputed to us. When our Heavenly Father looks at us, He doesn’t see the fallen child, but a child who has been made righteous because of the child’s faith in Jesus. Isn’t that good news? That’s the best news we’ll ever hear.

It’s not that God isn’t angry with our sins, He definitely is. But His love is like a hurricane, and we’re a tree that’s bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.[1] Let’s strive today for obedience not by our strength, but by the help of the Holy Spirit; not so much because we love Him, but because He loved us first.

Let’s Pray.

Master, we pray that you forgive us for all the times we’ve knowingly done something that does not please You. Jesus, help us to focus on you and ask the Spirit’s help to overcome the test. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

[i] David Crowder Band – How He Loves.