By their Righteousness

Ezekiel 14:12-23 NIV

"The word of the Lord came to me: "Son of man, if a country sins against me by being unfaithful and I stretch out my hand against it to cut off its food supply and send famine upon it and kill its people and their animals, even if these three men—Noah, Daniel and Job—were in it, they could save only themselves by their righteousness, declares the Sovereign Lord. "Or if I send wild beasts through that country and they leave it childless and it becomes desolate so that no one can pass through it because of the beasts, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved, but the land would be desolate. "Or if I bring a sword against that country and say, 'Let the sword pass throughout the land,' and I kill its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if these three men were in it, they could not save their own sons or daughters. They alone would be saved. "Or if I send a plague into that land and pour out my wrath on it through bloodshed, killing its people and their animals, as surely as I live, declares the Sovereign Lord, even if Noah, Daniel and Jobwere in it, they could save neither son nor daughter. They would save only themselves by their righteousness. "For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: How much worse will it be when I send against Jerusalem my four dreadful judgments—sword and famine and wild beasts and plague—to kill its men and their animals! Yet there will be some survivors—sons and daughters who will be brought out of it. They will come to you, and when you see their conduct and their actions, you will be consoled regarding the disaster I have brought on Jerusalem—every disaster I have brought on it. You will be consoled when you see their conduct and their actions, for you will know that I have done nothing in it without cause, declares the Sovereign Lord."

The Lord is very clear when He states that if He decides to send judgement (sword, famine, wild beasts and plague) to a country, it does not matter if Noah, Daniel, and Job were in it. Only their righteousness will save them, it cannot save others. My righteousness cannot save any one else. Nor can the righteousness of someone else save me.

We, as a country, deserve judgement. At anytime God can decide to send judgement. Will my righteousness, in the eyes of God, be enough for me to be a survivor? Are my conduct and my actions righteous? I must spend every opportunity to inspect myself. As a leader, I must emphasize that in no way can my righteousness vouch for them when judgement comes.

Lord God,
On that day You send judgement, I pray that my coduct and actions be consolation. I pray for righteousness in every aspect of my life. Let me constantly aware of where I stand with you. Teach me to be a reflection of not only your love, justice, mercy and grace, but of your righteousness.
Amen