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April 4
Morning
God made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God. — 2 Cor 5:21 BSB
Mourning Christian, why do you weep? Are you grieving over your own sins and weaknesses? Look to your perfect Lord and remember—you are complete in Him. In God’s eyes, you are as perfect as if you had never sinned! Even more than that, the Lord our Righteousness has clothed you in a divine garment, so you are not only righteous as a person—you have the righteousness of God Himself.
O you who are burdened by your sinful nature and depravity, remember that none of your sins can condemn you. You have learned to hate sin, but you also know that your sins no longer belong to you—they were laid on Christ. Your standing before God isn’t based on yourself, but on Christ. Your acceptance isn’t based on your own righteousness, but on your Lord’s. Today, with all your imperfections, you are as accepted by God as you will be when you stand before His throne, free from all corruption.
O, I urge you, hold on to this precious truth—perfection in Christ! For you are "complete in Him." With the garment of your Savior wrapped around you, you are as holy as the Holy One. “Who is it that condemns? It is Christ who died, yes, rather, who is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us.” Christian, let your heart rejoice, for you are “accepted in the beloved.” What do you have to fear?
Let your face shine with joy. Live close to your Master. Dwell on the outskirts of the heavenly city, for soon, when your time comes, you will rise to sit where your Jesus sits and reign at His right hand. And all of this is because the divine Lord "was made to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him."
Evening
And many peoples will come and say: “Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD, to the house of the God of Jacob. He will teach us His ways so that we may walk in His paths.” For the law will go forth from Zion, and the word of the LORD from Jerusalem. — Isa 2:3 BSB
It does our souls great good to rise above this present evil world and set our sights on something nobler and better. The cares of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth can choke out everything good within us, leaving us anxious, despondent, or even prideful and worldly. It’s good to clear away these thorns and briers, for the seeds of heaven won’t yield a harvest among them. And where better to find the tool to cut them down than in communion with God and in meditating on the things of His kingdom?
In the valleys of Switzerland, many people suffer from deformities and appear sickly because the stagnant air of the valley is filled with disease. But higher up, on the mountains, you’ll find strong, healthy people who breathe the fresh, clean air from the snow-covered peaks. How much better it would be if the valley dwellers could often leave their marshy homes and enjoy the refreshing air of the mountains!
This is the kind of ascent I invite you to this evening. May the Holy Spirit help us leave behind the mists of fear, the fevers of anxiety, and all the evils that gather in this earthly valley, and climb the heights of anticipated joy and blessedness. May the Spirit of God break the chains that bind us here and lift us higher!
Too often, we are like eagles chained to the rock. But unlike the eagle, we start to love our chains, and perhaps, when the time comes, we might even be reluctant to see them broken. May God grant us the grace tonight that, even if our bodies remain bound to the earth, our spirits may rise! May our souls, like Abraham, climb to the top of the mountain, where we can enjoy communion with the Most High God!