The Call to Righteousness

“And those who act wisely shall shine as the brightness of the firmament, and those turning many to righteousness as the stars forever and ever.”
Daniel 12:3

The reins of love hold a hidden wisdom to walk and “act wisely” to impart the greatness of our God. As we “shine” in the brightness of His Life, as stars in the dark of night, there is a flow of wisdom to turn “many to righteousness”.

The wise cannot be silent. He who is the source of all wisdom is also the spring of pure love. His Holy Love ever seeks to permeate all things with His wonder. Love cannot keep its vital influence to itself. So, His own cannot isolate themselves from interaction with others. While it is wonderful to teach and hear things concerning God, the wise in heart seek to interrelate with others so that we may collectively grow in His righteousness. The righteousness of God is much more than a declaration, a doctrinal statement, or some legal creed as many in our day believe.

Righteousness in the true sense of the original language means that we become all that HE has purposed for us individually. It is something far more than moral excellence or a religious code of ethics. Righteousness is the living wonder wrought within us by the receiving of Christ Himself.

Righteousness implies that each of us fulfills the ministrations of His Spirit that are unique to us, intricately woven into the fabric of our being. It is a life fully participating with Him in the precious gifts of His Talents and Pounds (minas) that we bring to Him, at our journey’s end, the increase of His investments.

Righteousness is revealing His character through our fragile earthen vessels in which the enablement is by His Spirit and not of ourselves. The more we discover His resources to make us ministrations of righteousness, the purer and more vibrant our expression of Him will be. The earthen vessel filled with His treasure is God’s wisdom to reveal Himself to this world by the treasure of His Son shining through simple “jars of clay”. Our interaction in this great commission is dependent upon our involvement in the mystery of faith.

“But we have this treasure in jars of clay,
to show that the surpassing power
belongs to God and not to us”
2 Corinthians 4:7 (ESV)

We may easily hinder His work of grace by seeking to promote ourselves, by relying on our strength rather than the power of Christ within. The true purpose of life is to glorify the Father by the Son residing within. Only the Life of the Son can honor the Father. Only by His Spirit opening the eyes of our hearts can we grow in the discovery of our heavenly Father.

“All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him”
Luke 10:22

Christ Himself is the only means by which we can behold the incomprehensible majesty of God. It is here, in this vital relationship of love, that we become living instruments of mercy to “turn many to righteousness”!

“But as many as received Him,
to them gave He power to become the sons of God”
John 1:12

Our “becoming” is the result of our receiving power, His power, by which we are ever in a constant state of flux and change.

Change is the evidence of life.

Our journey into His righteousness is an eternal adventure into His Life. The more we discover Him the more we feel the impulse of His love to “turn many to righteousness”. To be right and harmonious with Him is to be fully engaged in the mystery of His Will for each of us individually.

The full undimmed demonstration of righteousness in each of us must culminate in the pure manifestation of Christ Himself. May we hear and feel the enormity of the Call of God.

“Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as He is, so are we in this world”
1 John 4:17

SELAH!

Let the Word of God resonate within our hearts. Let the Spirit of God speak to the depths of our being the incomprehensible desire of God that “as HE IS so ARE WE in this world”!

“For let this mind be in you
that IS also in Christ Jesus…”
Philippians 2:5 (LSV)

The true righteousness of God is humble, obedient, and fervent in heart. It is pure in its desire to glorify the Father, seeks not its own, boasts not of itself, and loves with the enduring character of God.

“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of Him everywhere.”
2 Corinthians 2:14 (ESV)

Please read the related Post: Divine Longings

“God will fill the hungry because He Himself has stirred up the hunger. As in the case of prayer, when God prepares the heart to pray, He prepares His ear to hear (Ps. 10:17). So in the case of spiritual hunger, when God prepares the heart to hunger, He will prepare His hand to fill.”
– Thomas Watson

Brian Troxel