I verily thought with myself, that I ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. – Acts 26:9
Have you ever sinned on purpose? I mean, have you decided to do something you know is wrong? Probably so. Even if you did not know the right or wrong of a thing, you did not exhaust your options of learning right from wrong. None of us have been so righteous. We have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).
Once you admit this basic fact, you can realize the magnificence of Jesus Christ the Righteous. He affected salvation for people who strained against rules and did things contrary to the will of God and their own self interest. The Apostle Paul said of himself that he truly thought that he “ought to do many things contrary to the name of Jesus of Nazareth” (Acts 26:9). So convinced of his own self-righteousness, the Apostle believed he was right in persecuting the Church to stamp out any Christian influences, and he is not alone. We also sin willingly believing we are justified in sating our desires.
Our Lord, a man of sorrow, a man acquainted with our griefs, was raised in Nazareth, a small insignificant village. Though we may not have grown up it a small town, we can all relate to being insignificant. Lowly and full of grace and mercy, the Lord saved His people from sin out of their insignificance unto glory. By grace, we have eternal life because God raised up a Son out of the dry ground of Israel. Indeed the Son of God lives within every believer, a seed planted in the dry ground of our hearts (Isaiah 53:2).
I hope you take comfort knowing that Jesus of Nazareth knows your troubles. He sympathizes with your pains, and He died to take away your sins and mine. We did not deserve His love. We need Christ’s love as the dry ground needs rain. Let it rain Lord. Let it rain.