ASLC Devotions - Friday

Friday, March 18

Romans 3:23-24

For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; ²⁴Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:

For a couple of decades I was estranged from the church of my baptism. It’s complicated. Suffice it to say that I was fully aware that I had “sinned and come short of the glory of God;” I had convinced myself that God didn’t want to have anything to do with someone like me.

As we prepare again to celebrate the Resurrection I can celebrate how wrong I was, too. It doesn’t matter that I was (am) a sinner—we all are—in this letter Paul assures me that I am forgiven by grace alone. What a relief. A few verses later Paul writes: ²⁸Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. Again, what a relief. If I had to constantly watch my p’s and q’s and fulfill a specific set of requirements I’d be back on the outside. I’m a procrastinator.

On the other hand, I can follow some simple directions. In what is called the Great Commandment Jesus said: Thou shalt love the Lord they God with all thy heart… (you know the rest) And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love they neighbor as thy self. Matthew 22:37-39. That I can try to do; and know that that I am justified by faith alone.

Tom Germuska

Join us for worship this Sunday at 8:30 and 11.