My favorite food is steamed shrimp (any
way you want to make them). My favorite color is yellow (I can’t explain). My
favorite room temperature is 70 degrees. I love being with my wife and our
children and grandchildren. I love telling people how they can be saved and
preaching the good news of the Bible. I love Deaf people and helping them to
learn the stories of the Bible. I hate peas and lima beans. I hate when it is
hot and sticky when I am trying to go to sleep. This list could go on and on …

Today I was reading Psalm 45, and I read
about some things that God loves and things He hates. Psalm 45:7 says, “Thou lovest righteousness, and hatest
wickedness: therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness
above thy fellows.” As I read this verse, I was struck with the bluntness
that this is stated. God loves righteousness. God hates wickedness. Of course,
I know this is true, but what really touched my heart is the fact that without
Jesus Christ, I am completely wicked. Without Christ, I don’t have one shred of
righteousness.

As I thought about this truth, I was
reminded of how incredible it was that Jesus died in my place on the cross! I
am sorry, but I cannot get over the fact that Jesus died for me! Without Jesus’
death on the cross, there was no way I would ever be considered righteous. Of
course, God knew this from the time Adam and Eve ate that fruit from the Tree
of the Knowledge of Good and Evil! His plan from before that even happened was
to send His one and only Son to die in the place of sinners. He did that
because as much as He hates wickedness, He loves us! That is an incredible
thought.

Even though God hates wickedness and sin,
He still loves a sinner like me! I cannot help but think about II Corinthians
5:21, where it says, “For he hath made
him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness
of God in him.” Think about it! Jesus Christ, Who is completely righteous,
took on our wickedness so that God could love us without reservation! I am
complete in Jesus Christ! I have been moved from the “wicked” group, to the
“righteous” group simply by trusting Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and
resurrection to forgive my sins!

God loves righteousness and hates
wickedness. Because of my acceptance of Christ as my Savior, I am not only
considered “righteous” through His payment for my sins, but I have also been
given access into Heaven rather than Hell! Every morning I wake up, knowing I
am on my way to Heaven, I think to myself … “Can you believe it?” I am so thankful!