separation from God

Good morning friends,
First, we certainly want to keep our brothers and sisters in Japan in prayer as they rescue those in danger and begin the work of recovery. I also want to remind you about Tiffany's visit to lead a discussion of her peacemaking work in Iraq. She'll be sharing with us after worship tomorrow and will have some amazing pictures as well as a powerful story. Also, don't forget to set your clocks ahead an hour before you go to bed tonight; the calendar says Spring is upon us, even though the snow on the ground says otherwise.

Our reading today dives into the meat of Paul's argument. The good news about Jesus is God's power for salvation for all, so we certainly are not ashamed of it. From this positive beginning Paul makes a case that everyone in the world can see evidence of God's power through the glory of creation. That should have led everyone to worship God, but instead many people worshiped idols and images of creatures instead. Since most people didn't seek God, God allowed them to go off on their own to live in immoral ways. Because of that separation we make between ourselves and God, many people fall into all kinds of trouble and the world became a mess. In passages to come Paul will tell us how God overcomes this bad situation, but for now we simply look around and see that it is true.

Blessings,
Sam

Romans 1:16-25

16For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 17For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, “The one who is righteous will live by faith.” 18For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth.


19For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; 21for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. 22Claiming to be wise, they became fools; 23and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles. 24Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, 25because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.