Scripture: Rom. 5-8

Romans 5:6-8
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.

Observations: “While we were yet sinners…” All of the salvific acts of Christ were done for us before we repented; while humanity remained in its sin. We were helpless in our sin. So are the folks around us. And yet, we deny them grace as if we were the gatekeepers. We cannot demand repentance from people who don’t yet know how. We cannot demand repentance from people who don’t yet know why they should repent.  The key word is “yet.”

Application: All too often, I find myself indignant at the actions and shortcomings of others.  Only later do I realize that my own actions in the same situation would fall dangerously short.  Even those already a part of the church are to be given chance after chance after chance.  In matthew’s gospel, we are told to go in person, then with a brother, then with a group, and only as a last resort are we to drag someone before the congregation.  The conveyed meaning is that grace is much more important for daily discipleship than righteousness.

Prayer: O God, help me to better understand the timing of your grace in my own life. Help me then to apply that same grace-filled timing to my relationships with others. In Christ’s name, and after His example, Amen. 

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