June 12, 2020
Romans 8:18-39
Early Christians experienced a lot of suffering because of
their faith. Paul, who wrote this letter to the church in Rome, was often
attacked for his faith, and would eventually be imprisoned for his ministry.
Yet, he trusts in God through it all. In this section of the letter he explains
some of his reason for hope.
SCRIPTURE
REFLECTION
A Life Worth Rejoicing
By Jennifer Jerrome
Today’s passage from Romans, along with others
throughout the Bible, tell us that we may suffer now, but there will be glory
later. I’ve read several books and devotionals that address the necessity of suffering
in order for faith to grow – without it we wouldn’t fully recognize the joy to
come.
While I agree that pain is an inevitable part of
life and is often the catalyst in moving us forward, I also believe Paul was
trying to tell the Romans not to overlook the glory in the here and now. Even
in his darkest days, Paul remained confident for Christ.
How did he keep his spirit of optimism? Paul knew
that no matter where he traveled or what hardships he faced; he was never
alone. The Spirit lived in him, like it lives in us, and “helps us in our
weakness” (v. 26).
I think we’ve come to expect that life is going
to be hard; that suffering is inevitable and that we won’t really experience
joy until we die. There’s no doubt that 2020 seems bleak and many are
“groaning” for a brighter future, but let’s not lose sight of the fact that
Jesus died to give us life – not just a life of sorrow, but a life worth
rejoicing.
God wants us to experience love and hope and
peace now – in the present. God gave Jesus the authority to forgive sins on
earth and he was able to heal people body, mind, and spirit. They didn’t have to wait to experience
healing. It was given to them on Earth to enjoy in the now.
So, while suffering today can make us stronger tomorrow, let’s not overlook the glory among the groans. Jesus did the dying so we could do the living and no matter what we face, we can know with certainty, like Paul, that “nothing will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord” (v. 39). Carry that with you today, secure in the knowledge that future groans will be followed by shouts of joy.
UALC’s CAMPAIGN OF
PRAYER
