Jehovah Tsidkenu

Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that I will raise unto David a righteous Branch, and a King shall reign and prosper, and shall execute judgment and justice in the earth. In his days Judah shall be saved, and Israel shall dwell safely: and this is his name whereby he shall be called, THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. – Jeremiah 23v5-6

Religion is almost always an attempt to figure out what we need to do to make ourselves acceptable to God. People try all kinds of things to do that. People try self-flagellation and even crucifixion in order to try and find righteousness. Folks make pilgrimages and pay fortunes to make God happy with them.

The last Sunday in July here is called ‘Reek Sunday.’ It is called that because Croagh Patrick is nicknamed ‘The Reek.’ Legend has it that St Patrick fasted there for 40 days in the 5^th century. Pilgrims have been making their way there since at least the 11^th century. Roughly 15,000 make the trip every year now.

Folks come to climb the stony path to the top in order to experience something of St Patrick. Not everyone does it for religious reasons now, but many do. Some climb the sharp stony path barefoot in order to experience some sort of penance for their sins. Their desire is that maybe, by this religious experience they might get close to God.

We look at these things and wonder how people can be so foolish as to think they can achieve some level of righteousness by such actions.

And yet, sometimes we get caught in the same trap. We can think that if we ‘touch not, taste not, handle not’ the wrong things we can make God happy with our righteous living. Do this and don’t do that and you are going to be okay. Go here, don’t go there, wear this, don’t wear that and you are going to be spiritual.

Sorry, but righteousness does not work that way. All of my best efforts at righteousness are not but filthy rags. I know that, and if are honest with ourselves we all know that.

But there is hope. God sent a righteous Branch, Jesus Christ as the only hope for righteousness. It is His righteousness imputed to me that makes me righteousness. No amount of pilgrimages or religious acts or penance or ‘do this don’t do that’ can achieve it, because our only righteousness is found in The Lord Our Righteousness, our Jehovah Tsidkenu.