Text – Romans 5:1-2:
5:1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2 Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory.
Meditation:
Central to the Christian experience is the state of being considered righteous by God. This is not a condition that we can produce ourselves because of our inclination to sin and be unrighteous. Paul says it is by faith that this is made possible, thus underscoring how this is based on nothing other than our trust in God’s character and work in our lives.
The writer of Genesis references the same response of trust as he talks about Abraham and says, “Abram believed the Lord, and the Lord counted him as righteous because of his faith,” Genesis 15:6.
The result of this state of righteousness is that we are at “peace” with God. There is a sense in which this refers to the ending of the conflict between us and God because of the way that our rebellion put us at odds with the purposes of God. But there is also a more positive sense in which we have peace, and that is through the confidence, hope, and calmness that we have arising from our trust that God has told us the truth and will also do what he promises.
Have you ever thought about this spiritual peace that comes from our faith? How does it manifest itself in your life?
Poetry:
My Faith Looks Up to Thee
by Ray Palmer, 1830
My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine:
now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
be wholly thine.
May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire.
While life’s dark maze I tread,
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.
When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold, sullen stream
shall o’er me roll,
blest Savior, then, in love,
fear and distrust remove;
O bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul.
Prayer:
Dear Father, we give thanks to you for putting an end to the war we waged against you. The war of sin and death. The war of greed and hostility. The war against all that is good and peaceable in this world. Thank you for bringing us to you through the work that Christ did and giving us the hope of a life of peace lived with you. In Jesus’ name I pray this. Amen.
Activity:
Think of all the ways that Satan makes war on humans. Create a list of four or five ways of war that are on your mind. Think of a way that you can bring the peace of God. For example, if you put mistreatment of children, look for a way that you can help children out: by a contribution to an organization that helps children or a local non-profit that provides services to children, you get the idea. Pray that God will bless your gift and enlarge your spirit of peace.