The Lord is awe-inspiring, fearsome, fascinating, intriguing, and majestic in his radiant splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him today and what came to my heart and mind in Romans 4:18-24,
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
"Against all hope, Abraham in hope believed and so became the father of many nations, just as it had been said to him, 'So shall your offspring be.' Without weakening in his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead—since he was about a hundred years old—and that Sarah's womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why 'it was credited to him as righteousness.' The words 'it was credited to him' were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness—for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead."
In this passage Paul recounts the wonderful reality that God has chosen, has determined ahead of time, that all who embrace Jesus Christ in faith will be credited with righteousness.
Righteousness is that special judicial quality which qualifies us for entrance into God's kingdom, much like a ticket to get into the theme park or a concert or whatever. I am reminded of Proverbs 11:4, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death."
God chose Abraham as the prototype of the man of faith - and that all who emulate that faith will be credited with the same wonderful standing of righteousness before him, just like father Abraham! It is Abraham's faith, Abraham's trust, that the Lord presents to us in his word that he looks for in us.
It seems so simple… I believe and trust in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead and as a result I'm given citizenship in heaven. It seems it would take more than that from me. Much more.
And yet, as I think of the sin in the Garden of Eden, that was pretty simple too. Adam and Eve did not act on belief in God when he told them if they ate of that particular fruit they would die. They chose to believe something/someone else.
But, now our wonderful loving God has made a way for us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…" I recognize this is Christianity 101 and something we are all familiar with. However, these past few days I have found myself drawn to the wonder and beauty of what our loving Heavenly Father has done by sending his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins!
The simple gospel message is just breath-taking when I consider what our God of boundless love has done for us!
In this passage Paul recounts the wonderful reality that God has chosen, has determined ahead of time, that all who embrace Jesus Christ in faith will be credited with righteousness.
Righteousness is that special judicial quality which qualifies us for entrance into God's kingdom, much like a ticket to get into the theme park or a concert or whatever. I am reminded of Proverbs 11:4, "Wealth is worthless in the day of wrath, but righteousness delivers from death."
God chose Abraham as the prototype of the man of faith - and that all who emulate that faith will be credited with the same wonderful standing of righteousness before him, just like father Abraham! It is Abraham's faith, Abraham's trust, that the Lord presents to us in his word that he looks for in us.
It seems so simple… I believe and trust in God who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead and as a result I'm given citizenship in heaven. It seems it would take more than that from me. Much more.
And yet, as I think of the sin in the Garden of Eden, that was pretty simple too. Adam and Eve did not act on belief in God when he told them if they ate of that particular fruit they would die. They chose to believe something/someone else.
But, now our wonderful loving God has made a way for us. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only son…" I recognize this is Christianity 101 and something we are all familiar with. However, these past few days I have found myself drawn to the wonder and beauty of what our loving Heavenly Father has done by sending his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins!
The simple gospel message is just breath-taking when I consider what our God of boundless love has done for us!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share what moved you about him from your Bible reading today. I'd love to hear from you!
If you have someone you would like to receive these ruminations, send me their email address. I'm happy to add them to the list. If you are receiving this and would like to be removed from the list, just reply and let me know.
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