Ladies, did you know you have a homework assignment this week?
Yesterday, on Imperfect Wives Radio, Rebecca challenged all of us to read Romans 8. I want to encourage you to do that very this this week — in fact, I hope you are able to re-read it many times as the week progresses!
Read it because God’s Word is powerful. This chapter is full of hope for the one in Christ and that kind of hope is very powerful.
As Christian wives, we must cling to the hope we have in Christ for our marriages. With the Easter season fast approaching, hope is something that we can easily focus on even in the midst of trying circumstances in our lives as Easter brings the hope of life and reconciliation of mankind to God.
Romans 8 reminds us that, as believers in Christ, our foundation is sure (sealed and secure). Romans 8:1-4 says,
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, 2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. 3 For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, 4 in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. (NIV)
Christ secured our salvation by His atoning sacrifice as the sin offering for our sinful natures. Verse 2 celebrates the freedom from the law of sin and death that is found in Christ Jesus. Hallelujah, that is hope!
Romans 8 also reminds us that the foundation we have in Christ as Savior is being lived out in our lives now (the process of sanctification or “the working out of our salvation”) with Jesus Christ as Lord.
The benefits of surrender to the Spirit are life and peace.
The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. Romans 8:6
Hope is found in having our mind controlled by the Spirit. You see, the Spirit-controlled mind is life and peace. Now that is a Word for my marriage. How about yours?
Life and peace.
Do those words describe or characterize your marriage today?
They can, you know.
The remainder of Romans 8 is convicting in that Paul asserts that peace can be ours as we surrender to the Spirit. In the midst of persecution, trials, suffering and weakness. There is hope. There is the asssurance of a coming glory!
Did you read to the end of Romans 8 yet? Grab your Bible and read with me.
There is hope in surrender because, even in trouble, hardships, presecution, famine, nakedness, danger or sword, we have the assurance that Paul expounds upon in verses 37-39:
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38 For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons,neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, 39 neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Today I challenge you (I am also challenging myself) to surrender control and fear to the One who loved you so much that He became sin for you (and me). The One who conquered death and called you to Himself is waiting for you. Your marriage will be different, you will be different. Live in the hope that is alive in surrender to the Holy Spirit!
Trusting God and surrendering to Him today,
Kim
Image via freejesuschristwallpapers.com
