Romans 5:1-11
1Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. 6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life. 11But more than that, we even boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.
___________________________________
This passage is well known to many because of what Paul says in verses 3 through 5 about rejoicing when we suffer because “suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us”. In much the same way, I like the quote from Friedrich Nietzsche “That which does not kill us makes us stronger”. Experts disagree as to whether this is true, but I think we all know of cases where a person (perhaps ourselves?) did come through some trauma as a stronger, more resilient person. And I think we can all agree that if our suffering does not crush us, that we find something that we cling to that gives us hope for a more positive tomorrow. That hope for many of us is tied to God.
Paul goes on to say that Jesus died for the many of us who are sinners and who are unworthy of His sacrifice. What more can we hope for than that God was willing to suffer an agonizing, drawn out human death to show us what He is willing to do for us, undeserving though we be?
Prayer: Dear God, please help us to be worthy of the sacrifice of your son, Jesus. We ask this in His name, Amen.
—Gary Vig