[ Today's Readings ]
Rather, blessed are those
who hear the word of God and observe it.
We hear this and think about keeping the law. We quickly think of all the ways that we fail to be perfect as our heavenly Father is perfect. But that is not what the word of God is saying. If we truly listen, rather than a message of condemnation for our limitations, we hear a message of hope and mercy. The word of God tells us to put our faith in Jesus Christ.
Consequently, the law was our disciplinarian for Christ,
that we might be justified by faith.
The law speaks with a voice that merely prepares us for God's ultimate message. It shows us where we are apart from him. It makes us ready to trust him. The law points out true deficiencies. The point of this is not simply so that we can go and correct these deficiencies. It isn't going to work. We just can't do it on our own. That is the true message of the law. The good news is that we don't have to do it on our own. We are united with Jesus by our faith in him. We become children of the Father. We become a new creation, heirs according to the promise, capable of keeping the demands of the law by the power of the Spirit of Christ.
For through faith you are all children of God in Christ Jesus.
For all of you who were baptized into Christ
have clothed yourselves with Christ.
God does not teach the law to condemn but rather to demonstrate. He shows us our need for mercy. And then he offers us far more than is necessary, more than we have any right to expect, more than we can ask for or even imagine.
The Lord remembers his covenant for ever
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