Rom. 5:1-3

July 1999

Romans 5:1-3

1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ.

Lord of Glory, Lord of Wrath and Justice…but also Lord of Love…Once my sins were black as night, and although I tried with all my might to experience Your peace, I had no peace BECAUSE I felt I must DO something to experience Your smile. But in YOUR TIME, You bestowed on me the GIFT OF FAITH and the assurance to KNOW that Christ bore Your
wrath for my sins that I might experience Your love. By Your grace I was enabled to EXPERIENCE Your complete PEACE through these precious words of the song – "Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling." From eternity past You had a promise for me…these words from Jer. 29:11:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of PEACE, and not of evil, to give you an EXPECTED END." (SALVATION)

And because of this very special PROMISE to me, You gave me grace throughout my early years to keep on SEEKING…to keep on praying…to keep on searching for that peace that I knew only You could give. The promise is continued in verses 12-14:

"THEN shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto You. And ye shall seek me, and FIND ME, when ye shall SEARCH for me with all your heart. And I WILL BE FOUND OF YOU, saith the LORD: and I will turn away your CAPTIVITY…"

2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in the hope of the glory of God.

Through YOU, dear Jesus, I have an "admission ticket" to the Father. Faith in the precious blood is my ticket, and it is because of Your wonderful grace that I can "stand" before the Father saying, "Nothing in my hand I bring. Simply to thy cross I cling" as I REJOICE and
SING,

"I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousnes…" (Is. 61:10)

Yes, I will rejoice and know that You will get the glory for my salvation! YOU will be magnified! And yes, CHRIST IN ME – YOUR growing perfection in me – is my only hope of "praise" and glory from the FATHER. Hallelujah for the blood!

3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also; knowing that tribulation worketh patience;

And not only do I rejoice in thy salvation, Lord, but I also rejoice in the PRESSURES You send in my life in order to work PATIENCE and the fruits of the Spirit in my life. Yes, chronic illness is indeed a GREAT PRESSURE! Day in and day out…non-ending it seems…almost always feeling badly in one way or another and rarely feeling really well.. Someone said this is "the disease of the jumping symptoms". Yet it is for my GOOD! It is working in me a "hopeful endurance" and a "waiting" on YOU and You alone! How little patience I possessed as
a child and not very much more even as a young mother, and I am still far from being like You, my most patient and loving Lord! How "restless" I have been all my life, but I thank-You, Lord, that You are working a PATIENCE in my life – a patience that I could not
have worked up in my own strength. Therefore, like Paul, may I truly be able to say,

"Most gladly therefore will I rather GLORY in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take PLEASURE IN INFIRMITIES…for when I am weak, then am I strong." (II Cor. 12:9b-10)