Do you ever think about how you can demonstrate love to others? To your family, your friends, your neighbors, your co-worker, etc? You can demonstrate love to your family by doing something special for them, something they will remember and leave a lasting impression. To your friends, by making them a homemade meal when they are ill. Mowing the lawn for your neighbor who is a single mom. To your co-worker, by buying them their favorite coffee. To demonstrate love just because. The word demonstrate means to extend, to reach, to come.
Romans 5:8 says: But God demonstrates, His own love toward us,in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
I love this verse for so many reasons. But one of the reasons I really like it so much and have it after my signature when closing in an e-mail is because it reminds me of what I was before Christ was in my life. It reminds me that it was Him who loved me first, not because of what I have done, but because of what He did. While I was a sinner, ungodly, a debtor, unjust, He put his love on the line for us by offering His Son in sacrificial death so that we would be made just and right through Him.
A few days ago, I was searching on craigslist for a t.v armoire, I found one I was interested in. So, I sent an e-mail inquiring about it, to see if it was still available. To my surprise I received an e-mail a few hours later saying: "It's still available( Bible verse kinda of creepy) if you are still interested". As I mentioned before after my signature this verse follows. I was sadden about this persons response, because I know for sure he is not a believer.
John MacArthur in his commentary on Romans says:
God loves the sinners who think sinful thoughts, who do sinful deeds, even while they are still hopelessly enmeshed in their sin. Even when men openly hate God and do not have the least desire to give up their sin, they are still the objects of God's redeeming love as long as they live.
God demonstrated His love by sending His only Son to die for us, this is something I want my children to know and for it to leave a lasting impression on them. I pray that the work Christ did on the cross is not creepy to you, but an act of the best love ever demonstrated.
This post was in contribution to a Christian Group Writing project on Romans Road,
hosted by www.faithfullbloggers.com
1 comment:
This is a wonderful post about Romans 5:8. It is also one of my favorite verses (I also wrote on Romans 5:8). So sad about the person who answered your email. Perhaps you planted a seed that in time will take root and grow.
Blessings,
Joan
Post a Comment