Day 7 - Week 7 - Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Here it is at the end of another week, and our last night at the third stop of the Romans Road.  Do you have it in your heart, along with the first two stops?  Let's have a quick review...

Romans 3:23 - "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
Romans 6:23 - "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord."
Romans 5:8 - "But God proves His own love for us in that while we were still sinners Christ died for us."

Our sin -> Our death

God's gift given because of His love for us -> Given through Christ's death -> While we were still sinners -> Our eternal life!

Pretty amazing, isn't it?  Perfect plan by the Perfect Planner.  Again, I'm impressed (in not a good way!) with our reluctance to trust our lives to this One who knows all, who sees all, and, most important of all, loves above all.  

Doesn't it seem rather silly to you that we proclaim to trust God with our eternal lives, and yet we won't trust Him enough to submit our day-to-day earthly lives to Him?  Is it because we feel we have control over the known, but the unknown is beyond us, out of our hands, so we are forced to relinquish control in that arena?

If there's one thing I've learned in my 55 years on this earth, it is that, in all reality, I have very little control.  I cannot control the length of my life, although I can control the quality of my life through good diet, exercise, and good lifestyle habits.  (I write these exhortations as I sit here needing to lose 15 lbs, and staring at a newly bought treadmill that has had very little action since coming to live at the Hodges' household shortly before Christmas).  I cannot control the weather that can have catastrophic effects on anyone's life in any given moment.   I cannot control world events, the decisions of world leaders, nor can I limit the acts of wicked people who are intent on creating havoc in this world of ours.  I cannot control the complete and absolute safety of all of my loved ones, although I would most like to be able to control this aspect of life. 

So, I have to ask myself, just what is it that I am so in control of in the here and now that I refuse to place in submission to God's good and perfect and pleasing will?  Could it be that this is another lie of the Deceiver?  That by our supposed retaining of "control" and refusing to submit, in actuality I have refused to allow God to act on my behalf in this crazy world of randomness? 

I am certainly not saying that as a believer I am protected from any and all calamity in this world, ("In this world you will have trouble", John 16:33), but I also am convinced that when I am trusting God with my life, then I can be assured that, "all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are called according to his purpose", Romans 8:28.  When I am living of life of trust in God and His goodness toward me, and loving Him in response to His love for me, and bending to His purpose in my life, then I can have the assurance that this world's troubles, when they do occur in my life, will also find purpose and that God will use them for good in my life, and hopefully, in other lives as well, "He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." 2 Corinthians 1:4.

I'm seeing another perfect plan from the Perfect Planner!  God loves His children and He wants us to be able to testify of His love to others.  It is easy to testify of God's goodness in good times, but how powerful is it when you hear someone testify of God's goodness in bringing them comfort through troubled times?  That is when you can have a testimony of  a "peace that is far beyond human understanding."

God has proven His love for us...let's not be deceived into holding onto something we've never had. Pray for Him to show you the areas of your life that you need to relinquish to His will and allow Him to lead you in His way.  Decisions to be made, both big and small, need to be placed in His hands, submitted to His will, allowing Him to affirm or deny the courses we are about to take...decisions made with His blessing bring no future regrets.