Today we consider God as Jehovah-Tsidkenu (pronounced "sid-canoe"): The Lord our righteousness." Jeremiah 23:6 says: "In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS." Our righteousness is as filthy rags (see Isaiah 64:6 "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away."); but His righteousness is perfect. His righteousness becomes our righteousness at Calvary. Now this is not an excuse to sin because His righteousness is ours; instead, this is a call to actual holiness on our part because of who God is and what He has done for us.
The Preachers Sermon and Outline Bible explains God's righteousness in part as: "not only can God not be tempted by evil, but God does not tempt any person. God loves, cares, and seeks to save man, not to damage or destroy his body and spirit. When a person is tempted to do the forbidden or harmful thing, the urge and craving is not of God. God wants the person to turn away and flee the temptation, not to crumble and succumb to it." God is our righteousness and will do us no harm. This is both a comfort and a guide through this life.
Since we know God will not seek us harm or lead us astray (because He is our righteousness), we can spot temptations as things not from Him. If something is not from Him, we should want no part of it. What things in your life are not from Him? If you know something is not of Him, get rid of it. Today, make an effort to focus on God as your righteousness. Thank Him for the shed blood of Jesus at Calvary that makes His righteousness both a protection and a guide as you live your life in obedience to Him.
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