Passage of the Day:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! 10 For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! 11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation, Romans 5:6-11.
Reflection:
In this age of self-help books, it’s rare to find an author who actually lives out what they talk about at seminars and writers’ conferences. From a spiritual perspective, how many Christian leaders do you witness living out the words of the Bible that they proclaim from the pulpit? In the first century, the apostle Paul could not get over the demonstration of love in the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. Although no one earned this love or deserved this, Romans 3:9-12, Jesus died while we were still sinners. This is love in action.
Prayerful Action:
Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing,” Luke 23:34.
Learning to Love this December as God Forgives You:
Over my 55 years on earth, I’ve learned that everyone has a back story which has shaped how they act, behave and respond to others. When someone reaches their breaking point, you might face the brunt of their emotional outburst. Subsequently, when Jesus responds to the people in the crowd on that first Good Friday, Jesus prays for their forgiveness. Love understands that people often don’t realize what they’re doing. This is another powerful demonstration of love.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Today’s feature song is my favorite Christian song from college. While modern-day Christians don’t have access to Jesus like the disciples, we do have a Father’s love that continues today. This Father is only a prayer away.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 