February 23: “The Righteous Life God Desires” by Rick Owen

Exodus 2:12, NIV “Glancing this way and that and seeing no one, [Moses] killed the Egyptian and hid him in the sand.”

I remember as a child, my mother once quoting to me, “... be swift to hear, slow to speak, and slow to wrath.” That comes from James 1:19 in the KJV. I remember the house we lived in and exactly where I was standing in the “side room,” the one with the French doors. I was quite young. I had no idea what the words meant. It’s funny to me now. I need a “laughing with giant tears” emoji to insert here. All I knew at the time, however, was that I was being scolded. And that whatever I was wanting to say, I had better not say it. I took an immediate dislike to that verse.

In fact, well into adulthood I continued to dislike that verse. It didn’t sit well with me. But one day, read- ing the book of James, I saw and heard the verse that followed. First, “... be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,” and then, “for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires” (James 1:19-20, NIV). I was stopped in my tracks. Immediately, I began to love this verse. “The righteous life that God desires!” That was precisely the life that I wanted. I was not scolded now, but guided, coached, and challenged. Could that life be mine?

James tells us to put our anger in check and to rejoice in trials (James 1:19, 2). Is it not true that if God tells us to do something, he also provides us the ability? Have you ever thought that if God tells you to “consider it pure joy...whenever you face trials of many kinds,” that means that you can do that? That if things like love, joy, patience, and self-control are fruits of the Spirit then they are never in short sup- ply? Do you accept that the Holy Spirit never fails you? Never! I may fail to use the ability that God provides, but He will not, cannot, fail to provide me with all that I need in order for me to live a life pleasing to Him (2 Peter 1:3).

When Moses went to the defense of the Hebrew slave and killed the Egyptian, his anger defeated his self-control and took his best from him. At Meribah, when he chose to speak to the people instead of to the rock, and then struck the rock instead of speaking to it, his best obedience was beaten by his anger. Had he chosen to speak to the rock—as instructed—perhaps the water would have spoken to the people.

Father, I want the righteous life that You desire. I put my emotions in Your hands and receive by faith the wisdom and self-control that come from You. Bless me with faith to let the water do the talking. In Jesus’ name, Amen.