FRIDAY, JANUARY 12
Luke 2:21-25
Genesis 17:9-12

“Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore,
thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations...”

THE PRESENTATION AT THE TEMPLE

The perfect obedience of Jesus was seen from His childhood when He obeyed all that was in the Law of Moses. Through His parents’ obedience, Jesus was circumcised on the eighth day. In Genesis 17:9-12, God made a covenant and told Abraham, “Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations. This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed.”

Jesus is our perfect righteousness because He is perfectly righteous. Mary and Joseph saw to it that all the demands of the law were kept. The baby Jesus was presented by His parents to God at the temple in Jerusalem. “Sanctify unto me all the firstborn, whatsoever openeth the womb among the children of Israel, both of man and of beast: it is mine” (Exod 13:2). Likewise, parents are not only obliged to provide for the physical and material needs of their children, but most importantly the spiritual needs of their children must be met.

The law of the Lord required a sacrifice for the mother after bearing a child. “… she shall bring a lamb of the first year for a burnt offering, and a young pigeon, or a turtledove, for a sin offering…” (Lev 12:6). Mary offered a pair of turtledoves. That was all she could afford to offer but she willingly fulfilled all righteousness.

The born-again believer must hunger and thirst after righteousness by digging deep into the Word of God that he may do that which is righteous and pleasing before the eyes of God.

THOUGHT: Am I seeking after the righteous way?
PRAYER: O Lord, grant me the desire to fulfil all the righteous demands of Thy Word, the Bible.
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