For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
TO PONDER
Paul is convinced, but are you? Are you really? Take a moment to ask yourself, ‘does my life and do my choices reflect a conviction in the love of God for me, in Christ Jesus our Lord’?
If you are like the rest of us, you will be finding reasons for why you are not worthy of God’s love, or not able to trust in his love with conviction.
We look for reasons to justify our lack of conviction that God would choose us to love, and we do so by placing the burden of responsibility for trusting in God’s love on our own shoulders.
Conviction is another word for faith or trust, and the burden of responsibility is on God because faith is a gift of God. God wants you to have that gift. He has demonstrated his love through Jesus and his death and resurrection. He wants to demonstrate his love and its resurrection power, for you today.
PRAYER
Father, forgive my unbelief, heal my doubts. Convince me of your love again today.
Today's verse written by David Schuppan, LifeWay Illawarra
For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, ``YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF."
TO PONDER:
There's a wonderful law in Buenos Aires, Argentina that allows anyone to draw or pain a mural of any wall with the permission of the owner. It's a relatively new law that arose out of the Dirty Wars in the 1970's and 80's where over 30,000 citizens were kidnapped, tortured and murdered by the Government at the time. The mothers of the children who were taken away, used their own freedom to march in the streets and demand change. Their boldness, their willingness to use their freedom for the sake of others is the reason that there is a freedom to express oneself creatively in Argentina today.
The Gospel Freedom we have is because God has taken a stand in his son Jesus, to free us from all that would enslave and kidnap and destroy our lives. We are freed from sin, death and the devil. But Paul reminds us that there is an added dimension to that freedom. It is not just freedom from something, it is a freedom for something...to serve others humbly in love. To use our freedom in the Gospel for the benefit of others...to bring them the same freedom. Your life is to be a work of art that gives freedom, joy, release to others so they can add their creativity to the world. How might you do that today as you use your freedom to serve others in love?
PRAYER:
God of freedom, help me use my freedom to serve others and draw out the creativity in them that you have created them for. Amen.
It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery.
TO PONDER:
Do you remember what it was like the very first time you got to drive the car by yourself after getting your licence? Free at last! Free, not to have to wait for someone to drive you places, or to wait for you. Free to change plans at your discretion, not others. Free to do what you want. Or so it felt. If you could be free of anything today, what would you choose? Free from having to go to work? Free from debt? Free from expectations that weigh you down? Free from responsibilities? Free from wet weather?
Paul expresses a beautiful truth today - your freedom is what Christ came for. Freedom from sin, death and the power of the devil. It's a reality that you live in today and it is a gift that Jesus has given you. You are free from having to strive? Free from having to perform? Free from the expectations that other's heap on you in order for you to be worthy. It's not a licence to do whatever you want, because selfishness is a slavery all of its own. But the freedom of Christ that you are called to stand in, is a freedom to fully live in relationship with God with all the blessings that relationship bring, and a freedom to live for others in love. How might you do that today?
PRAYER:
Lord Jesus Christ, thank you for setting me free from all that enslaves me. Help me to cherish that freedom and live in it for the sake of others today. Amen.
May Your loving kindnesses also come to me, O LORD, Your salvation according to Your word; So I will have an answer for him who reproaches me, For I trust in Your word. And do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, For I wait for Your ordinances. So I will keep Your law continually, Forever and ever. And I will walk at liberty, For I seek Your precepts. I will also speak of Your testimonies before kings And shall not be ashamed. I shall delight in Your commandments, Which I love. And I shall lift up my hands to Your commandments, Which I love; And I will meditate on Your statutes.
PONDER THIS:
Think about the best hamburger you have ever had. What was on it. Chicken, meat patty, halloumi? Cheese, lettuce, tomato, bacon? Tomato sauce, BBQ sauce, Sweet chilli choice? Did it have egg, or pineapple or the controversial beetroot? What made it the best hamburger you have had? While we don't give it must credit, what is most important for a hamburger is the bun that that holds it all together
Think of today's text like a hamburger. Your life is the filling, the patty that is central to the hamburger...but makes this an extra special hamburger is the bun that holds it. The bun is the word of God, the Word that tells us that God is full of loving kindness and mercy. The Word that tells us that God is eternal. The Word that holds our life together when life's pressure squeeze us. It is the Word that gives us freedom to embrace life, enjoy life, and live life despite its challenges. But without the bun...without the Word of God, our lives are a total mess and will spill out everywhere. The bun of God's Word surrounding us, covering our lives, above and below us, pressed down on our lives, squeezes out the best juices that make this the best life ever, and one that will bring joy and delight not only to us, but those that we do life with! How are you letting the bun of God's Word press down and reveal the best flavours of life in you and for you?
PRAYER:
Lord, your Word has feet it runs after me, it has hands, it takes hold of me. Let your Word cover me, surround me, be above me and below me. May your Word hold my life so that I may walk today in freedom. Amen.
When you were slaves to sin,you were free from the control of righteousness. What benefit did you reap at that time from the things you are now ashamed of? Those things result in death! But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness, and the result is eternal life.
TO PONDER
We have all done things that we are ashamed of. Usually we avoid going back over those memories because we do not like to re-live the feelings of guilt or shame that often come flooding back when we revisit what we did.
Today the apostle Paul is asking us to do exactly that, To reflect on the things that we have done that we are now ashamed of. It doesn't matter what it was or what it is, what Paul is trying to get us to see is that the only thing they bring us is guilt and shame.
Jesus died and rose to free us from that guilt and shame, why on earth would we keep going back to it? What good could we possibly think will come from it? Don't let sin suck you back down into guilt and shame. Instead let the resurrection power and life of Jesus be what guides and directs your path today.
PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Thank you for freeing me from the guilt of my sin and shame. I know that in you I have forgiveness and eternal life. Please help me to live each day confident and assured of the freedom I now have in you. Amen
Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.
TO PONDER
Ever heard the phrase, ‘Jack of all trades, master of none’? Having a small amount of knowledge on a topic can be helpful, but it doesn’t make you a master. I can change a blown light bulb and even flip a fuse back on, but if I wanted another power point installed, I would need to call an electrician. I know how to change a tire on my car and fill it with petrol, but when it dies at the traffic lights, I call a mechanic. I can do a little, but I need a master when problems are beyond my scope of control. God knew that I would never be able to earn my salvation. I can make some ‘right’ decisions, I can show love and even patience on occasion, but I am not able to work for my salvation. Jesus is the master who lived the perfect life, died the perfect death and rose perfectly, to defeat death and sin, not just for himself, but for all humanity. He is our master, and all we need to do is call out to him!
PRAYER
Jesus, thank you that you mastered life and death, and you defeated the power of sin in my life through your death and resurrection. Help me to stop relying on my own strength, but to instead call on you, the master of all things. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise Von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle.
What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We are those who have died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don’t you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life.
TO PONDER
Have you ever been offered a referral benefit? You know, if you convince your friends and family to sign up for this deal, or frequent this business then you will receive this reward or discount. Our children’s school even offers one! If you love us, why not share this with others who you think might love us to, and then you will receive the benefit. It’s an interesting business model, and one I was reminded of as I read this passage. We receive the benefit from the death of Jesus. It was Jesus who died on the cross and was raised to life, and yet we receive the benefits of forgiveness of sins and eternal life with our Father. It’s our free gift, our offer too good to refuse. May we understand this truth more and more in our daily lives!
PRAYER
Lord, I thank you that I was buried with you though my baptism and I am raised to new life each day because of your sacrifice. Help me to understand all this means in my life today. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Elise Von Stanke, LifeWay Newcastle
The law was brought in so that the trespass might increase. But where sin increased, grace increased all the more, so that, just as sin reigned in death, so also grace might reign through righteousness to bring eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
TO PONDER
Have you ever had someone that hurt you really badly that it just seemed too hard to forgive them? Sometimes it can feel like the sins that others commit against us are just too much, too hard to overcome.
Isn't it great that when it comes to God, there is no sin too big, no trespass so great that he can't forgive. In Christ, God's grace is enough to cover every sin, every mistake, every wrongdoing.
Since, you have received this unlimited grace from God, how will you let that grace rule your life and inform how and what you can forgive?
PRAYER
Thankyou Heavenly Father, for your unending grace. Help me to live in light of your grace and to forgive others as you have forgiven me. Amen
I called on your name, Lord, from the depths of the pit. You heard my plea: “Do not close your ears to my cry for relief.”
You came near when I called you, and you said, “Do not fear.” You, Lord, took up my case; you redeemed my life.
TO PONDER
It’s the final verse I’m unsure about. He took up my case. Mmmm. I’m guilty though. Other parts of scripture tell me I’m a sinner, even before I was born, so if the Lord takes up my case, I’m done for, gone, doomed, ready to be thrown into jail, preparing for the slammer, getting ready for the book to be thrown at me.
Yes, the book. Ah! I know what book I want thrown at me though. The Bible. Because even though there are places that remind me that I am a sinner, and not worthy of God’s love, there are many more parts that tell me I’m loved no matter what. Even the rest of the verse above tells me – ‘you redeemed my life.’
Super. I’ve got the right lawyer, yet I won’t I be found guilty, because the cross dealt with my guilt. Jesus took my sin. The open tomb ensured that my life was indeed redeemed.
So, I am free to live, and love, and share.
PRAYER
Ruler of all, thank you for your unconditional love. How privileged we are to have someone whose job it is to love, despite everything we do to not deserve it. Help us not to judge others, but respect and care for those we relate to. In Jesus name we pray. Amen.
Today's devotion written by Mark Simpfendorfer, LifeWay Epping.