The greatest love that anyone can ever have for us, happened the day Jesus hung on the cross to bear our sin. And it is because of His suffering that we can glory in our own suffering as Paul writes.
I don't know about you but looking back on my life of 70 plus years, I have had quite a bit of experience. Some good. Some not so good. But all has contributed to who I am now at this time in my life. Suddenly without a husband who passed in 2022, I sure did not spend much time considering this part of my life when I was a young, married wife and mother. But alas, here I am.
Tribulations have surely prepared me for this time. And because of it, I have the hope that God will continue to carry me through the last part of my life instead of me falling apart and being without that hope. I am sure you know of people that may be in that situation.
My son's mother-in-law passed away a few years ago because she had lost her teenage son in a freak accident. She never recovered from that and lived over a decade hardly being able to get out of bed most days and coping with sleeping and pain pills every day. She ended up taking a drug overdose and I wonder if it was because she just could not go on anymore.
How sad that is. I am sure not perfect, but I do rejoice with Paul who through this letter encouraged us to "glory" in our sufferings, knowing that God will work in us the strength to get through them as we are patient.
Easy to go through hard times? Absolutely not! But if we want to be prepared for what there is to come, we must stay close to God and be thankful for everything we go through that will advance us in life to have the peace that Paul talks about in this passage.
That is so much better than living a life of such sadness that we can't get out of bed to face life. Right?
5 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience;
4 And patience, experience; and experience, hope:
5 And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
13 (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law.
14 Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam's transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come.
15 But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.
16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offences unto justification.
17 For if by one man's offence death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ.)
18 Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound:
21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.
Thanks for coming by today, Friends. I am feeling much better. Take care, and God bless!
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