2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV)
14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
Romans 5:1-5 (NIV)
Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. 3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Romans 5:1-2 (The Message)
1-2 By entering through faith into what God has always wanted to do for us—set us right with him, make us fit for him—we have it all together with God because of our Master Jesus. And that’s not all: We throw open our doors to God and discover at the same moment that he has already thrown open his door to us. We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.
Perseverance is a part of the landscape as we live in Christ and press on in Him (see Philippians 3:7-14; Hebrews 12:1-3). However, there are seasons when the pressing on may feel more pressing. That is, when we are keenly aware of the need to persevere under certain trials or pressures.
Romans 5 is a wonderful reminder of how we are able to persevere. It is not by gritting our teeth and forging on in our own strength. It is through our Lord Jesus that we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand (Romans 5:1-2).
I appreciate how The Message renders the first two verses of Romans 5 and the declaration in verse 2, “We find ourselves standing where we always hoped we might stand—out in the wide open spaces of God’s grace and glory, standing tall and shouting our praise.”
Perhaps you find yourself presently in a season that requires intentional and prayerful perseverance. I invite you to pause with Jesus and pray this passage of Scripture over your life and perhaps over the life of someone that you know who is facing certain difficulties in these days. Or maybe you need to pray in particular for a loved one that they would know this hope that is only found in Jesus.
Our victory is in Christ alone and here is a worship song with anthem-like qualities that I invite you sing to Jesus today and prayerfully sing over the lives of people that He brings to your mind:
The Lord bless you today!
Psalm 23
