True Identity

The Lord heard the request you made to me. And he said, ‘I have heard what the people said to you, and they are right.’ [Deuteronomy 5.28]

For all the stupid things the Israelites did and said, Moses records that God acknowledged that they were correct about one thing - they recognized their own sinfulness and said if they directly heard God's voice again they would die. Wow.

I also found it interesting today how Jesus identified Himself when John sent a couple of his guys to inquire whether He was Messiah... Then he told John’s disciples, “Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, the lepers are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor. And tell him, ‘God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.’” [Luke 7.22-23]

Jesus Himself said in yesterday's reading that, "A tree is identified by its fruit." [Luke 6.44a] That's a pretty bold statement.

Today, we say we are Christ followers ("Christians," if you will) which would indicate that we follow Christ, strive to emulate Him, and are part of His family... But according to the "fruit test" Jesus Himself passed, I don't even cause a blip on the chart regarding those tell-tale identifiers Jesus used to reveal His true identity.

Perhaps then, like the children of Israel, it is correct for me to say...

"Father, help me. I am unable to please you on my own."