Wed., 10/11/17 Devotion (1 Ki. 14:8b)

Today's encouragement comes from 1 Kings 14:8b, where we read these words:

" . . . and yet you [Jeroboam] have not been as My servant David, who kept My commandments and who followed Me with all his heart, to do only what was right in My eyes."

Ahijah the prophet is speaking these words to Jeroboam, the idolatrous king of Israel. What made David so "perfect" in God's sight? After all, did he not commit the murder of Uriah, and did he not commit adultery with Bathsheba? David was justified in God's sight, because he (David), in brokenness, contri-tion, faith, and repentance, cast himself entirely on Jesus Christ. David pos-sessed Christ’s righteousness; and, because of this, he was perfect in God’s eyes.

And so it is with all faithful Christian churchmen today. We who are accounted as righteous are so because we have Jesus' righteousness fully and legally imputed to our hearts by faith. Because of this, in fact, we "follow the Lord will all [our] heart”—despite the fact that we have all kinds of imperfections and sins.  When we sin, we repent; and love God all the more.

[Puritan quote of the day: "[Abraham] looked up to the goodness of God in Himself and in His promise, not as it appeared to sense.” —Jeremiah Bur-roughs, in, "The Excellency of a Gracious Spirit"]