"They will be called oaks of righteousness..." (Isaiah 61:3)
“In this verse, God calls us oaks of righteousness. When an oak tree first pushes through the ground as a seedling, it is 100 percent an oak tree already. For the remainder of its life, it will simply grow more and more into the oak tree it already is. In the same way, God wants you to understand that you’re as righteous as you will ever be the moment you are saved. You and I will never be more righteous, no matter how long we live. From that point until we die, however, we can grow more and more like who we already are, as a righteous person in Christ.” (God’s Best-Kept Secret by Mark Maulding)
In order to see that happen, you need to start with yourself...
Firstly, you need to be you - the authentic yourself, no filter or masks needed. When God created man and woman he didn’t want them to be perfect and hide their face behind masks and filters, he wanted them to bear his image on earth. So what is it like being YOU? How are you bearing God’s image on earth on your daily walk with him and others?
Secondly, you need to practice what you preach. You need to model authenticity, integrity and holiness. It all comes from how much time you spend with God in his presence because it’s Him who can transform us. We’re not holy by nature, it’s God who is holy and he is the one who makes us holy.
Righteousness is God’s gift to us: “God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:21)
It is the righteousness of Christ that makes us beautiful, unique and strong. They will be called oaks of righteousness!
Is this how you see yourself? Why? Why not?
We invite you to join us as we journey slowly and prayerfully through Isaiah 61 - line by line over forty days.
