Jesus Our Savior

You see at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – (Romans 5:6-8, NIV)

Christ died for us when we were unable to help ourselves. We were living against God, but at just the right time Christ died for us. Very few people will die to save the life of someone else, even if it is a good person. Someone might be willing to die for an especially good person. But Christ died for us while we were still sinners, and by this God showed us how much He loves us. – (Romans 5:6-8, ERV)

Christ arrives right on time to make this happen. He didn’t, and doesn’t wait for us to get ready. He presented Himself for this sacrificial death when we were far too weak and rebellious to do anything to get ourselves ready. And even if we hadn’t been so weak, we wouldn’t have known what to do anyway. We can understand someone dying for a person worth dying for, and we can understand how someone good and noble could inspire us to selfless sacrifice. But God put His love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to Him. – (Romans 5:6-8, MSG)

Jesus is our Savior. When we had no idea that we were lost and in need of saving, Jesus came and died on our behalf. As sinners, without Him, we had nothing to offer Him or to the world, yet He still chose to give all for each one of us so that we would have the freedom to choose eternal life through Him. There was nothing we had done to earn or deserve His love, but rather He chose love because He first loved us. Few would give their life up for someone who was good to us, let alone for someone who was against us, but that is exactly what Jesus did for us all. May we ever look to the Lord and the sacrifice He made, as it reminds us anew of how deeply and selflessly, we are loved by God.

While we were sinners,

Far off, we were lost;

The ultimate love,

Came close, paid the cost.

He took all our sin,

And bore all our shame;

So we would know love,

Is found in His Name.

Jesus our Savior,

Through mercy and grace;

Chose die for us all,

So there’d be a way.

A way to know Him,

And choose enter in;

Gracious salvation,

For here and heaven.

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You sent Your Son to save us. Not because we were worthy, but rather because You are perfect love. Forgive us for the times that we have felt that we somehow had to earn Your love. Thank You that it is Your overwhelming, gracious, all-encompassing love that draws us unto You. Teach us to continue to seek You anew each day, for in the time we spend with You, You reveal more and more of who You are and how You love. Show us how to love those around us in ways that make Your goodness known. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we thank and praise You for Jesus our Savior, and ever seek You to show us how to demonstrate the same sort of love to all whom we meet. Amen.

© Shannon Elizabeth Grabrick and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

“But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His Name.” – John 20:31

Expectant Hope

So, prepare your minds for service. With complete self-control put all your hope in the grace that will be yours when Jesus Christ comes. – (1 Peter 1:13, ERV)

So, prepare your minds for action and exercise self-control. Put all your hope in the glorious salvation that will come to you when Jesus Christ is revealed to the world. – (1 Peter 1:13, NLT)

So, get yourselves ready, prepare your minds to act, control yourselves, and look forward in hope as you focus on the grace that comes when Jesus the Anointed returns and is completely revealed to you. – (1 Peter 1:13, VOICE)

 

Each new day that we draw breath, we are meant to be ready to live out our faith with expectant hope. To do so, we ought to exercise self-control and ready our minds to serve, remembering not only the grace that we have been given, but all of the hope that is yet to come. Though God gives great gifts in the here and now, the best is yet to come through that which will be eternal – our promised presence with our Provider forever. Imagine a place where there is always peace and never pain, surrounded by His love and light, the true King shall reign. This, this is reason to prepare our minds and exercise self-control, for our hope is held in that which is eternal. May we rise each day with expectant hope, and ready our hearts and minds to walk out our day according to His way.

 

Let’s prepare our minds, 

To rise up and serve;

Give as we’ve received,

Though much undeserved.

Use all self-control,

Granted by His grace;

So we may love well,

In every place.

May all of our hope,

Be held in the gift;

Of His saving grace,

Where forever is.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You that You are our eternal hope through the salvation that You offer. Thank You that we can trust our forever in You. Forgive us for not setting our sights on the eternal, as so often what lies before us seems so overwhelming. Teach us to trust You more, so that we may have an eternal perspective, keeping our hope fixed on our forever with You. Show us how to prepare our minds for service, and grant us the strength to have self-control. Help us to love well all those whom we encounter, so that they too, might see the hope that is found in You forever. May many come into a lasting relationship with You. Be glorified O God, as we put all of our hope in You and accept the gift of Your gracious salvation that is available for all who choose to receive. Amen.

 

 

© Shannon Elizabeth Moreno and Revelations in Writing, May 2011 – present

 

God has brought me laughter, and everyone who hears about this will laugh with me. – Genesis 21:6