February 19, 2018 Genesis 17:1-7, 15-16
“When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said to him, ‘I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless.’” vs. 1
According to Genesis, immediately after the Lord introduced himself, Abram fell on his face—a phrase describing his worship posture that tickles our ears. Think of it! How would we react if asked to be blameless in all of our affairs and doings? It seems almost overwhelming. How can any human be expected to live a blameless life? Some might even say that it’s good to be a follower of Jesus and not be subject to such unrealistic expectations. Such folks rather relish their sinfulness and are prone to lay strong claim to a general lack of perfection. They like knowing that God’s love is unconditional and that forgiveness is boundless. But Jesus never told his followers to be content with low expectations. According to John’s gospel, Jesus told a woman accused of adultery to “Go and sin no more!” The truth is that those who encounter us in the world, have every right to expect that we will be blameless in our words and actions. We represent Jesus Christ! Our sins have been forgiven and the Holy Spirit is working overtime in our lives to produce good fruit. We are to have the very highest standards for behavior! And, if in response we “fall on our faces,” all the better! There’s no greater exemplar of blameless living than regular humble worship!
Thought for the Day: What does blameless living look like?
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