Today’s scripture: Isaiah 61:10 – 62:3
Christmas is over. Or is it? The birth of this baby was more than a miracle for it heralded a new reality for all humanity. The birth of Jesus set in motion the reality of God’s kingdom on earth and secured our salvation through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. For once, and for all-time, we could now embrace true freedom and “right-living” – righteousness. Protection from God’s wrath, from our own sin, and from all Satan’s evil.
This passage in Isaiah reminds us that God is all powerful and all righteous. God demands this “right-living” because he can accept nothing less in his perfection. Isaiah understands this need and he also understands we cannot achieve righteousness on our own, we need God’s help.
Enter Jesus, exactly what we need. God provided the perfect way for us to be righteous and that was through Jesus’ death and resurrection. His life, though, showed us how to live that new life. we are “new creations in Christ Jesus” created to do good works which God has planned for us.