|
"He walked in the ways of Asa his father;
he did not turn away from it but did what was right in the Lord's sight."
(2 Chronicles 20:32, CSB)
Are you a people pleaser? I am. For as long as I can remember, I have wanted for people to like me and be proud of me. When I was growing up, the worst thing in my eyes was punishment from my parents. It was not because the punishments were too severe or harsh, but because I knew I had let down the people that I loved the most. I knew they were not pleased with me, which made the people pleaser in me very unhappy in those moments.
At the same time as disappointing people crushed me, getting people's praise brought my spirits up! When Leighton (my younger brother) and I played doubles in tennis together, before the points, he would tell me "I believe in you". With those few words, I felt like I could fly! It is always encouraging and life-giving to know you're doing right by other people and are in good standing with them. How much more with God our Father?
Now, the only way we have right standing with God the Father is through the saving work of Jesus Christ on the cross; but that doesn't mean that once we have the saving grace of Jesus we can just do whatever we want! No, we want to do what is right in God's sight because of the grace and love He has extended to us!
Jehoshaphat ended his life in right standing with God. The Bible says he "did what was right in the Lord's sight." How can we too finish right in God's sight?
I believe, based on what God's word says, that if we have faith, then we will do what is right in God's sight. The Book of Hebrews puts it this way: "Without faith, it is impossible to please God." So that begs the question: What is faith? In Romans, Paul says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." If we want to have more faith, we must constantly be in the Word of God. That is where our faith grows!
So how do we live in right standing with God? How do we finish our lives like Jehoshaphat did, by doing what is right in the Lord's sight? We must study God's Word, know it, and obey it, and then we can watch our faith grow, blossom, and bear fruit in our lives.
|
|
