Your Kingdom Come: The Case Against RacismSample

Day 3: Seeking Righteousness “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” (Matthew 6:33) Though mentioned in the context of anxiety and worry, this powerful exhortation rings true in this fight against racism. Racism undermines God’s design and His sovereign decision to make us different. "...Righteousness and justice are the foundation of His throne." (Psalm 97:2) Seeking His kingdom entails having a vision for diversity as heaven is filled with people from every nation, tribe and tongue. Righteousness is not just an attribute of God; it is His very essence. “For the Lord is righteous, He loves justice; the upright will see His face.” (Psalm 11:7) This means that God's character and nature leads Him to do what is right. He is the very definition of righteous and this is why sin is so offensive to Him. He is not only righteous, but He is our righteousness. His name is Yahweh Tsidqenu which means “the Lord our Righteousness” ( Jeremiah 23:6; 33:16) . Through Christ’s sacrifice we are made right before God - not because of what we have done. It is a gift from God that allows us to draw closer to Him and as we seek Him, He will lead us “in paths of righteousness for His name sake” ( Psalm 23:3) taking pleasure in our pursuit of righteousness (Proverbs 15:9) As children of God, we should imitate Him and seek righteousness and justice. Doing what is right in a biblical sense goes beyond doing what is socially acceptable but it is doing what is morally good, just and honours God. God's righteousness is not merely a static declaration but represents the unleashing of His power in an active way that transforms us to also pursue righteousness. The purpose of our lives is to bring God glory and point people to Him but division and racism hinder this work. As we choose to fight against racism in our hearts and in the world around us, we can trust in His transforming power to see the hardest hearts softened and the broken hearts healed. Reflection points: Consider what seeking His kingdom and His righteousness looks like for you in the area of racial justice. Thank God for the gift of righteousness through the work of Christ and the transforming power of the cross. Pray for the church; that God’s heart for diversity and unity will be evident in the church locally and throughout The Church across the globe.