DEVOTION – DAY 333

Romans 5:10 “We Were Once Enemies”

Romans 5:10 “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!”

This verse reminds us that human beings are enemies of God. Some may find this hard to believe but it is true. This is because people have no problem watching a 3hr long movie like Avatar but they will refuse to watch a short video about God. People would happily forward to their friends when they come across a funny posting on TikTok, but they will not forward to their friends Bible verses, or a short Christian testimony. People have no problem getting up early to go to street markets or play golf, but they have problems getting up to go to church on Sundays. Because people are naturally enemies with God, their hostility must be removed in order for their reconciliation with God to be carried out.

God, Himself took the initiative to bring about reconciliation through the death of His only Son, Jesus Christ. To reconcile means to “put an end to hostility.” Because people run away from God, and their sins separated them from God, God showed His love by sending His Son to earth to die on the cross, so that by His death, He would atone for their sins and bring about reconciliation. Greater still, after three days, God raised Jesus to life by resurrecting Him. Christians have faith in a Living God who is eternal and continues to minister to His people – that was what Paul meant in this verse when he said Christians were “reconciled through His death and saved through His life.” This is the reason why Christians celebrate Good Friday every year for it reminds them that Jesus Christ died on the cross to reconcile fallen man to the Living God. By His death on the cross, Christians who were once enemies of God have been transformed into children of God.

A woman was a temple medium. She was unhappy when her son became a Christian. She blamed herself and she prayed to her idols that her son would reject Christianity and become a Taoist just like her. She did not know that her son had asked his church to pray for him. After more than twenty years, this woman who was an enemy of God, changed her mind to follow Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Her son had been praying for her salvation and God is the Living and True God. She finally realized that the idols she prayed to, were helpless and lifeless compared to God. She is now reconciled with God.

Let us pray: Heavenly Father, we worship you as the Living, True and Eternal God. Thank you for your gift of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. We humbly pray for the salvation of all our non-Christian family members and friends. We ask this in the Holy name of the Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.

Questions

  1. What was your life like before you were a Christian? How had you turned away from God at that time?
  2. How and why did you become a Christian? Share.
  3. What are some changes you have seen in yourself since you have become a Christian?
  4. Whom amongst your family and friends are yet to become Christians and what are you doing about their salvation?