A few thoughts have been building in me for some time.  Rooting the love of God from the gospel, the good news of salvation through Jesus, into our hearts.  Understanding how the love of God compels us, controls us, to look at others in sin with compassion, forgiving as we have been forgiven, and becoming ministers of reconciliation in this broken world.  Lastly, that all of this, is not in any way done under our power, but it is the grace and mercy of God, God’s Spirit at work in us.

In light of all of that, I want to share what is perhaps the most hope-saturated, heart filling, comfort-giving verse in all of the Bible, that was pressed into my heart last night as a covering for everything else.  Romans 8:32 – “He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”  The context of this verse is that there is suffering in this world, we will be afflicted, enduring trials and tribulations – yet all these things do no compare to the glory of God, and our enjoyment of Him in His perfections for eternity.  

The argument of Romans 8:32 is a “a maiore ad minus” logical argument from the greater to the lesser.  If someone is rich enough to purchase a yacht, certainly they are rich enough to buy coffee.  If a building is large enough to store a jumbo jet, it is large enough to store a mini cooper.  God the Father loves the Son Jesus with a love indescribable, infinite, eternal.  God looked down on Creation through time and had to choose between redeeming sinful man through the death of Jesus, or to condemn man justly in their sin and spare His Son.  In a real sense, the Jews did not kill Jesus, our sin did not kill Jesus, God the Father killed Jesus.  Isaiah 53:10 – “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief”  Now, if God would do this, that we might be reconciled to Him, what won’t He do now that the greatest possible work has already been accomplished?  If God is willing to send His Son to die for us to bring us to Him for eternity, what good thing would he hold back from us now?  

If you suffer, know that as a Christian, redeemed by God, God is working in the suffering good for you.  If you are lonely, know that as a Christian, God is working in your loneliness good for you.  If you are sick, know that as a Christian, God is working in your sickness good for you.  All of this is only possible if you understand the weight of what it means for God to die for you.  We give ourselves to something greater in this life, to our God who has redeemed us from temporary things, to enjoy eternal ones.  We are reconciled to the living God in whom there is a fullness of joy and pleasures forevermore.  Brothers and Sisters, stay encouraged.  Pray for the weight of God’s love in Christ through His death to press heavily on your heart, so that you will be able to see God at work in all things for your joy.  No one likes hard times, but we rejoice because hard times do not last forever, our forever is secure in Jesus, and He loves us more than we can fathom.

 

Grace and Peace,

Adam