Sigh.

I've been very disturbed by the fact that I'm not behaving the way I should.
At home. At work. Everywhere.

Today's verse of the day was Isaiah 1:18
"Come now, let us reason together," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall be like wool."

Are you afraid of death?

Alive, I'm Christ's messenger; dead, I'm his bounty. Life versus even more life! I can't lose.

Philippians 1:21

I am. Sometimes. I know that I would be with Christ after I die (something that I doubt from time to time owing to my sinfulness - but my salvation does not depend on me, thankfully). But it is a point of no return. Nobody has ever gone to heaven, stayed there for a few days - if there's even a concept of days there, and came alive again to tell me what it's like in heaven. Well I know of one; he met Jesus for a while.

Sigh.. it's all by faith! like many of the things are about God.

But I'm still afraid. sometimes.

Jeremiah 5:20-29

v 22. Should you not fear me?" declares the LORD.
"Should you not tremble in my presence?
I made the sand a boundary for the sea,
an everlasting barrier it cannot cross.
The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail;
they may roar, but they cannot cross it.

Betul yah, dear. It is actually quite amazing that God holds the water together. Well, I'm not sure whether I'm now making some stupid comments like I have never learnt about geography before but whatever it is, this verse really reminded me that God is the one who makes the world tick! and that sand is an everlasting barrier that cannot be crossed over by the sea. hebat yah?!! they may roar but they cannot cross it - very cool. That was a blessing from God for us.

What about tsunamis?!

23 But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts; they have turned aside and gone away.
24 They do not say to themselves, 'Let us fear the LORD our God, who gives autumn and spring rains in season, who assures us of the regular weeks of harvest.'
25 Your wrongdoings have kept these away; your sins have deprived you of good.
26 "Among my people are wicked men who lie in wait like men who snare birds and like those who set traps to catch men.
27 Like cages full of birds, their houses are full of deceit; they have become rich and powerful
28 and have grown fat and sleek. Their evil deeds have no limit; they do not plead the case of the fatherless to win it, they do not defend the rights of the poor.
29 Should I not punish them for this?" declares the LORD. "Should I not avenge myself on such a nation as this?

Well, that's why.

I meditated on righteousness about a month ago. The verse that triggered this meditation was :

He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification

Romans 3:25

I couldn't understand what justification is. And kept thinking should Jesus not brought to life, we would not have been justified. I initially thought we were justified because Jesus died for our sins.

Two days later, I read Romans 5:12-21. Couldn't quite get the NIV one. I tried reading the Message version but still couldn't quite understand and so I went on to read the amplified version.

12Therefore, as sin came into the world through one man, and death as the result of sin, so death spread to all men, [[a]no one being able to stop it or to escape its power] because all men sinned.

13 [To be sure] sin was in the world before ever the Law was given, but sin is not charged to men's account where there is no law [to transgress].

14 Yet death held sway from Adam to Moses [the Lawgiver], even over those who did not themselves transgress [a positive command] as Adam did. Adam was a type (prefigure) of the One Who was to come [in reverse, [

b]the former destructive, the Latter saving].(A)

15But God's free gift is not at all to be compared to the trespass [His grace is out of all proportion to the fall of man]. For if many died through one man's falling away (his lapse, his offense), much more profusely did God's grace and the free gift [that comes] through the undeserved favor of the one Man Jesus Christ abound and overflow to and for [the benefit of] many.

16Nor is the free gift at all to be compared to the effect of that one [man's] sin. For the sentence [following the trespass] of one [man] brought condemnation, whereas the free gift [following] many transgressions brings justification ([

c]an act of righteousness).

17For if because of one man's trespass (lapse, offense) death reigned through that one, much more surely will those who receive [God's] overflowing grace (unmerited favor) and the free gift of righteousness [putting them into right standing with Himself] reign as kings in life through the one Man Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One).

18Well then, as one man's trespass [one man's false step and falling away led] to condemnation for all men, so one Man's act of righteousness [leads] to acquittal and right standing with God and life for all men.

19For just as by one man's disobedience (failing to hear, [

d]heedlessness, and carelessness) the many were constituted sinners, so by one Man's obedience the many will be constituted righteous (made acceptable to God, brought into right standing with Him).

20But then Law came in, [only] to expand and increase the trespass [making it more apparent and exciting opposition]. But where sin increased and abounded, grace (God's unmerited favor) has surpassed it and increased the more and superabounded,

21So that, [just] as sin has reigned in death, [so] grace (His unearned and undeserved favor) might reign also through righteousness (right standing with God) which issues in eternal life through Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed One) our Lord.

Here, I was reminded that grace is God's unmerited favour: a favour unearned and undeserved.And here, I was told that justification is and act of righteousness and righteousness means being made acceptable to God and be brought into right standing with Him. It's not about obeying laws. To me, it made God's grace even more meaningful as no one can be brought into right standing with God unless through Jesus. Of course the realisation that we have been made righteous or the understanding of it should prompt me to obey the law but I have never stopped long enough to let the thought sink in and so I have never really understood.