Kingdom Building

July 24, 2019

Scripture Reading: Psalm 85

Lord, you were favorable to your land;
   you restored the fortunes of Jacob.
You forgave the iniquity of your people;
   you pardoned all their sin.
          Selah
You withdrew all your wrath;
   you turned from your hot anger.
Restore us again, O God of our salvation,
   and put away your indignation towards us.
Will you be angry with us forever?
   Will you prolong your anger to all generations?
ill you not revive us again,
   so that your people may rejoice in you?
Show us your steadfast love, O Lord,
   and grant us your salvation.
–Psalm 85:1-7

Humans just cannot seem to sustain righteousness. We get it right at some point probably following some bad time, a catastrophe, an awakening about how sordid our life has become. We walk for a while on a straight path after entering the narrow gate, but then we start slipping a little at a time until we are full scale amid a sordid life again. This cycle described in the above Psalm continues today.

For the gate is narrow and the road is hard that leads to life, and there are few who find it. ‘Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the road is easy that leads to destruction, and there are many who take it. (Matthew 7:13-14)

How do we sustain righteousness? I do not think we can without a close and abiding relationship with God, the love of Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit. We need to be cognizant that with the first step off the path we must enter the above described course correction.  That requires us to be intentional with self-examination. It does not require us to become rigid and judgmental, which often happens when our attempts at sustained righteousness turns into self-righteousness.

Prayer: God of mercy and justice, help us see the joy of fulfillment when we chose the narrow gate, which is first and foremost defined by love. Amen.

All scriptures are quoted from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicized Edition, copyright 1989, 1995, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights are reserved.