[Isabelle Tubbs]

God first established the Law with the Israelites as a way to let them know what is the right thing to do and what is wrong to do. However, like the Pharisees in Matthew 3, it can seem like the way to be righteous is to follow the Law as well as other regulations to be righteous. Although seeking righteousness is a wonderful thing, doing it in a legalistic way like this is not what being righteous means. God created human beings to be in a relationship with Him, not just to say the right things and go through certain motions. He longs to be with us and loves us, and He gives us commands in His Word out of love. As a result, He wants us to pursue righteousness but from a motive of receiving something back from God but rather from a relationship with Him. To truly live more like Jesus, we need God’s help and guidance. We can only receive His help with this if we come to Him sincerely and ask for His help in living more like Jesus in relationship with Him. I am grateful that God is willing to help and be patient through this process and that He continues to show love.