Romans 5:1-8 (NRSV)
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Chapter 5Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Verse 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. Verse 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, Verse 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, Verse 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
Verse 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. Verse 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person-though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. Verse 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us.
Devotion
“We have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (v.1)
My good friend signed his letters, “Pastor Ray, At Peace in Lauderdale.” He served Peace Lutheran Church, but his comment intentionally meant more than his church’s location.
Pastor Ray exuded a quiet confidence in God: an obvious reliance upon the grace and love of Jesus Christ. As far as Ray was concerned, God and he were at peace and close. So instead of writing “Sincerely Yours,” Ray wrote “At Peace in Lauderdale.”
That’s the basic issue, isn’t it? Some folks are at peace with God, but others are at war, or maybe as a last result, in a period of détente. Because he emptied himself and became obedient even to the cross, Jesus Christ is able to bring peace to all of us.
It is one thing to suffer as one who is at peace with God; and quite another to suffer as one who is at odds with God. When we suffer as someone at peace, we endure, we develop character and hope. “And hope does not disappoint us.”
Prayer
Deliver us from evil, dear God, and when we must suffer, help us to endure. Amen.