Passage Read: 2 Samuel 22 - 1 Kings 1
Meditation Verses: 2 Samuel 22:21-25
Thought
I think I begin to understand this: We talk about being righteous and being perfect, as if one day we could actually attain unto perfection, yet we do not believe that it is possible in this life and won't happen until the next. If I think of perfection as some kind of condition I attain that causes me to always do what is right, then I'll never get there, except by judicial mandate through faith in Christ. But David didn't say he was perfect, but that God has rewarded him according to his righteousness. He speaks of what he has done. He has kept to the Lord's ways and done what is right. He has kept his hands from doing wrong and kept himself from violating the Lord's commands. David hasn't been focused on achieving some lofty and far off goal, but on doing what is right in God's eyes as each moment and each choice approaches. His righteousness and the cleanness of his hands is the sum total of his actions and the determination of his heart going forward. Such that on those few occasions when he fails, even in big ways, he confesses his wrong, receives forgiveness and accepts God's consequences, so that his sins are wiped out, forgiven and expunged from God's record books, leaving only his right deeds to stand before God. He doesn't see himself righteous in the eternal sense or as some state of being, rather it is the sum total of his choices thus far and the determination of his life going forward. It is every big and little choice he faces each moment of each day. And he can look back over a day or a week or a month or a year with confidence that he has been determined and committed to choosing what the Lord desires and avoiding what the Lord hates. On that basis he makes his pleas to God and sees himself rewarded for his faithfulness.
Application
I could never see myself as perfect, because I could blow it at any time. But it is possible, even conceivable, for me to live a perfect life, if I take it slow and focus on every choice set before me each day. If I keep my hand from doing evil, and discern what is right, what would please the Lord, in each situation and do it, then I could pass a day in righteousness. I could pass two days in righteousness! Then maybe three! And then I mess up once, twice, but renounce it, make it right, and the Lord forgives and doesn't count it against me, and I get right back to choosing what is right and doing it, rather than giving up and giving in to despair. What remains in His sight is only my right deeds! Four days! And I continue to grow in my understanding of what He delights in and what He hates, and I keep choosing moment by moment and day by day to do what pleases Him and turn away from what grieves Him, who knows how many days I could string together in righteousness? There is no limit! And yet I could never become proud and consider myself perfect, because I know at any point I could trip up. But that doesn't mean all was for naught! Satan may keep a record and use it to accuse and discourage me. Others may continually bring up my failures, as if to crush and condemn me and throw me off the pursuit. But I can have every sin wiped from my record before God and I can stand before Him blameless, in Christ and in deed! If David could claim righteousness in deed, how much more can I, if I will set my heart to walk in step with the Spirit given to dwell within me. I need to stop believing the lie that I cannot attain to righteousness, so why bother trying. Rather, it is more within my grasp than it ever was for David! So I can and should pursue it with all my heart and all my strength!