Fearful words?

I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. (Genesis 17:1)

I don’t know about you, but those words arrested my attention.

“I am God Almighty. Creator of all. Ruler of this universe.

“Live in my presence. Don’t stray from me, going your own way. Walk with me, moment to moment, day to day.

“Be blameless before me. Don’t simply indulge in your sin. As I am holy, you also be holy. Imitate me in everything. My character, my values, my heart.”

Think about those words for a minute.

Honestly speaking, for me, those words would be pretty overwhelming were it not for one thing:

He is our Father who loves us.

And just as he made a covenant with Abraham, he’s made a covenant with us.

Not a covenant based on our performance, but on what Jesus did for us on the cross.

And because of that, we can always come boldly before his throne even when we fall short, knowing that he will accept us. (Hebrews 4:16; 10:19)

So let’s walk with our God moment to moment, day to day, blameless before him. And when Satan would accuse us, let us cling to these truths:

For [God] chose us in [Jesus], before the foundation of the world, to be holy and blameless in love before him.

He predestined us to be adopted as sons through Jesus Christ for himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, to the praise of his glorious grace that he lavished on us in the Beloved One.

In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace that he richly poured out on us with all wisdom and understanding. (Ephesians 1:4-8)