March 1, 2017: Death through Adam, Life through Christ Occasionally, we will reprint prior devotions that now reflect on the coming lectionary texts. This is a reprint from a devotion originally published on March 5, 2014. Prayer: Sing "Kum Ba Yah" with whatever words describe you today, good or bad, but with a final verse of how you feel knowing God loves you. Reading: Romans 5:12-19 (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: I have been shocked by the numbers of Christian men and women who come to their deathbeds knowing nothing about the God of grace and mercy. They have known instead the judge of impossible standards, and they have been, naturally enough, afraid to meet that God. - Eve Kavenaugh, "Prayer of the Flesh" in Other Side (1993) Afraid to meet God? Humbled...oh, yes. Bowed down...definitely. Awed...absolutely. But afraid? I hope not. Sure there is divine judgment but thankfully there is also divine love. The verses in Romans explain that in a somewhat convoluted way, at least to me. Paul pretty much says "death spread to all because all have sinned" (Romans 5:12). But remember, in death and in life, we rely on God's grace. Let's not be afraid to meet God on our last day or any day for that matter. Meet God today with joy in his mercy and grace. --Ruth Gates
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