Doing What Is Right In God's Eyes

"Today's Devotion" For January 23, 2006

Read: Joshua 2:1-19; Galatians 5:16-26

DOING WHAT IS RIGHT IN GOD'S EYES

"In those days (the days of the Judges in Israel), Israel had no king; everyone did what he saw fit." (Judges 17:6)

Yesterday was celebrate as "Life Sunday" in many Christian churches in the United States. It's so named because it's the Sunday closest to the date in 1973 when the United States Supreme Court ruled that abortion is legal. That ruling, following in the footsteps of the growing, and now completed, post-Christian philosophy of Western Europe, has caused immeasurable, and, perhaps, irreparable damage to our culture and society. Untold millions of unborn children have been "put to the sword" so that their mothers could pursue their own "happiness."

The whole idea of abortion "on demand" rather than an action taken only in the extremis, when the life of the mother is absolutely at stake, is a pursuit of "happiness" unknown to Thomas Jefferson when he penned those famous words in the Declaration of Independence. My good friend, Pastor Mark Mueller, Senior Pastor of Our Redeemer Lutheran Church, Wauwatosa, Wisconsin, rightly pointed out in his sermon yesterday morning that Jefferson's use of "happiness" was understood to mean "righteousness" by his generation, for "happiness" was only understood to be possible when one lived according to God's Will.

The U.S. Supreme Court's "Roe v. Wade" decision in 1973 officially ensconced the "pursuit of happiness" not "righteousness" as the norm for personal behavior in our society. It's reminiscent of the situation faced in Israel after the death of Joshua as it's recorded in the Book of Judges. The Holy Spirit tells us that "In those days, Israel had no king; everyone did what he saw fit" (Judges 17:6). God's Law, given to Israel through Moses, was not observed. The people worshipped the gods of the nations around them and assimilated their lives and culture into the pagan cultures around them. They essentially pursued 'happiness" in the modern understanding of the term, forsaking the "righteousness" of Godly living as witnesses to His love and His Will to the nations around them.

As Israel sold out to the nations around them, so also has our nation "sold out" to the world in which we live. What others have, how they think, and how they live is quite enticing. The philosophy and irreligion of a post-Christian Europe, where worship of God is relatively unknown these days and morality is based on "what seems right," is rapidly infecting our own shores and how we live and make decision about righteousness, happiness, and morality as a society. At every turn God's Will is challenged by our political institutions, our interpretation of scientific discovery, our system of law and justice, and our educational establishment. We and our neighbors are challenged to decide whether we're going to take part in our society or be set apart from it.

St. Paul addressed this same issue with the Galatian church. He saw followers of Jesus being challenged to live by the standards of behavior found in the culture around them rather than according to God's Will. The surrounding culture was an ever-present threat as it sought to divert the eyes and hearts of God's people away from Him and back to their previous lives lived without God. Paul reminds them that they now have new lives filled with the "righteousness of Christ." He encourages and exhorts them to "live by the Spirit" so that they will not "gratify the desires of the sinful nature" (Gal. 5:16), which seeks what we consider to be "happiness" rather than what is "righteous" before God.

As we live our lives each day, challenged to "pursue happiness" rather than "righteousness" - doing what is right in God's eyes - we are comforted and blessed with God's presence among us in Jesus Christ. By the power of His Word and Spirit, through Holy Baptism, He daily lifts us up into His presence and strengthens us for righteous living in Jesus Christ. In Christ Jesus, we are blessed each day to know "true happiness" which is ours in Him. Our "pursuit of happiness" is to do God's Will, live in His love and forgiveness, and seek to share His grace and mercy with others by how we live and what we say. "Doing what is right in God's eyes," rather than what's right in our own eyes, will bring us great peace, joy, and true happiness.

Prayer: Father, all around me I see a world that seeks its own version of "happiness" and ignoring Your truth that true and lasting happiness is only found in the righteousness of Christ. Sadly, Father, I also know how enticing the world's view of things is to me and how susceptible I am to following that path in life rather than Your path for me in Jesus. Forgive me, Father, for those times where I put "what is right in my own eyes" before Your Will and Your righteousness. Forgive me, Father, for seeking "happiness" in all the wrong places as if my life on this earth is the end all and be all of my existence. Point me daily, through Your Word and Sprit, to You and Your love for me in Jesus. Remind me that my life isn't just here on earth but also with Your forever in heaven because of Jesus' sacrifice for me. Guide me in my daily living that I may live a thankful life, filled with Your peace, and focused on sharing Your love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness with a world wrapped up in itself and ignoring You. Hear my prayer, gracious Father, for Jesus' sake. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.