Read Romans 5:1-6
“Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (v. 1).
In an effort to be a good Christian, as a teen-ager I turned a spiritual magnifying glass on myself, absorbed with every thought or deed that might be wrong. Throughout my day, I was constantly apologizing to God for the slightest infraction. Let us just say I was not a very joyful or a very peaceful follower of Christ.
Ironically, in my effort to do what was right as a Christian, I became very focused on myself rather than on Christ. Something was seriously backwards about the whole thing. My worries about “what if I have done something wrong” actually undermined the very faith I needed.
So here is my testimony of what Christ has done for me: He has delivered me from myself. At this and other times in my life, when I have been completely bound by doubts and trying to do or be, Jesus has swept in and brought release. He has also dealt with my pride, one of the unpleasant roots of it all.
When it comes right down to it, neither you nor I can ever be good enough. We are only justified by faith, and faith in God is the only route to true peace. (Ashlee Englund)
Jesus is the source of our salvation.
This devotional is the entry for Friday, June 12, 2015, of Opening the Word.
Photo credit: "Magnified Eye_5364c" by James Emery used under CC BY 2.0 / Cropped.
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