Journey to Jerusalem Day 22

Wednesday, March 18 Romans 5:1-5
1 Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5 and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.

As we’ve seen this Lenten season, sin separates us from God. More than that, sin makes us enemies of God. However, through believing faith in Jesus’s we are “justified ... [and now] we have peace with God” (v1). Not only are we afforded peace with God, we have been granted access to him! The gift of God himself is available to us at all times!
We mustn’t think we have acquired a genie who hops to our beck and call. No! By faith we have acquired a loving Lord, and this Lord desires to shape his life in you. This shaping process, unfortunately, is not easy or painless. But it is good because God is good!
Given access and peace by Jesus’ blood, we are able to “stand, and ... rejoice in hope of the glory of God” in spite all that life, or the devil, throws at us. For we belong to God, and he will use all of life to shape his life within us. Paul says our view of sufferings can be transformed because things meant to harm or destroy us God can use to shape his Spirit within us. Our hope is in the Triune God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And this hope does not lead to shame, but to life.
Acknowledge your burdens and trails now before the Lord. Ask the Father to help you believe in his goodness; to believe his “love has been poured into [your] heart through the Holy Spirit” (v5). Ask him to shape you in the hope of his sure and radiant glory.

Loving Lord forgive us for our weak faith and heal our unbelief. Help us, in the midst of our struggles, to fix our eyes upon you and your sure love. Fill us with hope as you form your life within us, to your glory and our good, in Jesus’ name. Amen!