DAY 27 | The LORD Our Righteousness

In his lifetime, Judah will be saved, and Israel will live in safety. This is the name that he will be given Adonai Tsidkenu (The LORD Our Righteousness).
Jeremiah 23:6

photography by Stephen Leonardi / calligraphy by Rita Ip

MUSIC

PRAYER

The LORD my Righteousness, You deserve my highest praise. No man is righteous according to Your standards, but only through Jesus, the unblemished sacrifice, do all believers have the right standing before You.

My heart overflows with gratitude when I think of the finished work of Jesus on the cross. Christ is my righteousness. Nothing, whether it’s my sins or my good deeds, can diminish or increase it.

Forgive me for trying to achieve or count on my own righteousness.

Show me how to rest in Your righteousness, Jesus. Help me impart Your liberating truth to the weary ones who strive in vain for their justification.

Because You are the LORD my Righteousness, I declare I am forever justified and made right with You, once and for all, by grace through faith.

A few facts…

Adonai Tsidkenu, Yahweh Tsidqenu, and Jehovah Tsidkenu refer to the same title of God, just written in different ways.
Adonai Tsidkenu is usually translated as “The LORD (is) Our Righteousness”, other translations include: "The LORD Gives Justice", “The LORD Our Salvation“, and “the Lord our Just One“.
In Jeremiah 23, God reprimanded the leaders who scattered His flock, then He promised He would raise up a “righteous Branch” (Jesus), a King who would bring restoration and would be called “The LORD Our Righteousness”.
Righteousness is simply “right standing with God.” It is the condition of being in right relationship with the Lord. This can only happen through TOTAL faith and dependence upon Christ.*

Exercise 1:

TWO-WAY JOURNALING

In a quiet space, try to remove any potential distractions. Sit up straight, and relax your shoulders, neck, and jaws.

Smile and breathe. Whatever you are feeling now, please smile with me. Smile, Jesus has removed your rags and clothed you in righteousness. Inhale through your nose, and breathe in the righteousness that can only be found in Jesus. Hold your breath for a few seconds, and celebrate having the right standing before Him. Breathe out a bit longer than you inhale, and release your striving, your weariness, and thoughts like “I’m never good enough” to Him.

Open up a fresh page in your journal, we will write to The LORD Your Righteousness today. Allow Him to navigate your mind and inner world with you. Wait for His response, let your monologue become a dialogue. Let’s pray for the guidance of the Holy Spirit as you journal.

[Part 1]
Dear LORD My Righteousness, …
[Part 2]
Dear (your name), …

• Thank Him for the gift of righteousness (it’s a gift, not a reward that you need to earn)

• Do you feel like you’re forever missing the mark? Are you preoccupied with earning approval from God or someone? Have you been trying to prove your righteousness? You may write about these strivings

• Are you struggling with your own self-righteousness? or trying to deal with someone who’s being self-righteous? Process your struggles before God
• You may ask Him how to actually rest in His righteousness.

Exercise 2:

DECLARATION

What we allow to be our belief system determines the course of our life. We must guard our thoughts with all vigilance. In this section, we dedicate our time to feeding our minds with faith-filled and God-pleasing statements, so that we can reframe our perspectives and empower ourselves to walk in His reality.

He is The LORD Your Righteousness. Your right standing before God is given, not earned. How does this relate to the way you live today? In your journal, write down your declaration.

Because You are The LORD My Righteousness, I declare I can / I will / I am…

Read your declaration out loud to Him and yourself. Repeat a couple of times, with certainty, gratitude and joy, as if what you declare is already taking place in your life.

This completes Day 27 of HE. Today, I pray that you’ll accept Jesus’ invitation to celebrate His finished work with Him and rest in His righteousness.