Vacation Nearly Over

The Haps

"I heard a secret!"
"Oh, do tell, dahling!"

The girls are 27 days old already! Tara's folks were here for a while, then we had a week to ourselves, and then my folks were here for a few days over the holiday. Now we're enjoying lots of football and rest before I finally return to work. We've been well cared for by family and friends.

Thoughts

It didn't take long for me to start dreaming about our girls, but so far I always dream about one baby, a nameless, shapeless form that seems to be a combination of Abbey and Neave. And each dream typically involves something going wrong, such as accidentally leaving the baby in the car, so I wonder if this dream baby blob just represents the burden of being a father. Of course I love them like crazy, but it is a burden some days! I'm afraid my days of looking eight years younger than my actual age may soon be ending with all the stress they're providing.

Today's Scripture

Romans 5:1-11 (NKJV)

Key verse: (10) "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."

Reflection

There's a lot of information and explanation here, and much on which to reflect! I noticed that Paul spends some time explaining what our justification, by faith in Christ's sacrifice on the cross, means for us. That's very important for the Jews in Rome he's writing to as well as for us Gentile believers today. Reconciliation to God the Father is every bit as relevant for us as it was for them.

Paul lists five things that we acquire through justification by faith. The first is "peace with God" (verse 1), which is not something to take for granted. Throughout all the pages and pages of the Old Testament, there is very little peace except during Solomon's reign (1 Chronicles 22:9). Even when God is right there among His people, they often find themselves in rebellion and, therefore, trouble. Despite all God's revelations to them of what it takes to please Him, they are never able to live up to His standards due to their sinful natures. Even the heroes of the Old Testament are susceptible to sin. God continually brings strife into the lives of His people in order to chastise them and bring them to repentance. Peace with God was always something to be attained in the Old Testament, and it was not really possible until Christ came (Acts 10:36) and gave himself up for us by shedding His blood.

The second thing Paul says we get with our justification is "access by faith into this grace in which we stand" (verse 2).  Because our faith in Jesus justifies us, we have access to God's grace. I think that means that God not only tolerates us now, but that He also seeks out the best for us, wanting to bless us as much as we'll let Him (Matthew 7:11). When He looks at someone who loves Jesus and who believes in Him, God remembers the work of grace that Jesus accomplished on the cross and receives us with all the love He has for His precious Son.

Thirdly, Paul says "we rejoice in hope of the glory of God" (verse 2). Because we are justified by God through Christ, we can have great joy and much hope. Glory is promised to those who are called His own (Romans 2:10), and in the end, the glory is all God's (2 Corinthians 1:20).

Paul says "we also glory in tribulations" (verse 3) because we've been justified. And why not? "If God is for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31). If I am made righteous by His Son and am now as justified as His Son, how can I let any calamity discourage me from continuing on this path with God? How could I ever turn away? If Job could praise the Lord through his tribulations, knowing nothing of the cross of Christ, how much more can I live a life of praise and worship when times are tough, knowing all the Lord has done and all He's promised to do?

Finally, skipping ahead, Paul says that "having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him" (verse 9). The nation of Israel knew a lot about God's wrath. Until Christ, their hope was in their sacrifices and in keeping God's Law. There are many different ideas today about what form God's wrath takes for people living now, whether it's here in this life or in the afterlife. Maybe it's some of both. Whatever it is, we know that God's anger is fierce against those who treat the death of His Son as nothing (2 Thessalonians 1:8-9). God has invited us to His wedding feast, and his wrath is hot against those who refuse His invitation, treat his messengers shamefully or show up dressed inappropriately (Matthew 22:2-13).

Fortunately, as our key verse (10) tells us, while Jesus' death restores our relationship with the Father, His life saves us from all of God's wrath. As long as Christ lives, He stands in the gap for us, praying for us (Romans 8:34) and looking out for our best as His adopted brothers and sisters (Romans 8:14). He's not like the older brother in Jesus' story who resented the father's forgiveness and grace for the younger brother who strayed (Luke 15:29-30). Jesus went out and found us, like lost sheep (Luke 15:4-6), and brought us into a relationship with His Father by dying and coming back to life. For all who believe in Him, we are being saved by Him. I can't imagine better news than that.

Prayer

Lord, thank you so much for all your blessings and all your promises. Thank you for my wonderful children. May I always remember the miracle and gift that they are. Thank you for Tara, the best wife and mother I've ever seen. You are truly good.

Final Thoughts

I'm a little concerned about the coming weeks. Starting Monday, Tara will be outnumbered by our kids for the first time while I go back to work. We're not even sure if she'll be able to drive a car because of the vertigo and visual disturbances she's been living with for weeks now. We'd appreciate your continued prayers.