Romans 5:1-5 (NRSV)
Read Romans 5:1-5 on biblegateway.com
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.
Devotion
A father promised his son a pony for his birthday. The big day arrived and the son asked, "Where’s the pony?" "It's out in the barn; go get it," said the father. So the son went out to the barn and opened the barn door. All he could see was a pile of manure, so he began to shovel. "There's a pony in here! There's a pony in here from my father!" he said to himself. "My father promised me and he does not lie." Amid the "manure" of life, our Father provides a gift. When I told this Sufi story to my primary care physician, he shared a Buddhist saying, "No mud, no lotus."
In today's reading, Paul writes that suffering (manure, mud) leads to hope (pony, lotus), and "hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit."
Prayer
Remind us, oh God, that when everything around us is spinning out of control you are still with us and give us hope. Amen.