Prayer: Heavenly Father, as we place our hope in you uphold our spirits to see the glory you so graciously hold for us. We praise you for this life, and may we use it to serve our neighbors and further your kingdom on earth. Amen.
Reading: Romans 8:12-25 (Click to read text) Stop and GROW: After reading the text, discuss/ponder the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America's Book of Faith questions, which are part of Camp Mount Luther's GROW Time with campers. QUESTION 1: What scares, confuses, challenges, or doesn’t make sense to me in this text? QUESTION 2: What delights me in this text or is my favorite part of the story? QUESTION 3: What stories or memories does this text stir in me? QUESTION 4: What is God up to in this text? Reflection: “For in this hope we were saved.” (Verse 24) In this passage Paul reminds those hearing these words that we are not promised a life without suffering. Then he goes on to say that our suffering in the flesh cannot be compared to the glory that will be revealed in us as children of God. Not just apples and oranges, both of those are fruits, but as incomparable as a tree and a muffin. If you are uncomfortable in your suffering (who isn’t?), know that it is a sign of your longing for redemption. All God’s children have this hope in their heart for God’s glory to be revealed. In that hope we must keep moving forward through the suffering and pain… 2020 has been overwhelming for many, and I want to encourage you to look to the cross and continue moving forward. There is a song that was recently shared with me that resonates well with this passage. It helped me turn towards the hope I have in our Savior Jesus Christ as I try to navigate life when it feels so unkind. The song is called Moving Forward by Colony House (you can find the link below), and these are the lyrics that stick out to me the most: “I found life and I found laughter. In forgiveness, I found rest. On the shoulders of redemption, I found hope when hope was dead.” https://youtu.be/DCEq85o2IIE --Anne Harshbarger
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
Authors
Anyone is welcome to contribute! If you'd like to write for us, please e-mail [email protected] Email
Get our daily devotions delivered to your e-mail box each day by signing up below:
Archives
May 2022
Subscribe |