redeemed for new life

Good morning sisters and brothers,
This passage was our first reading on Sunday. Two ideas in this passage particularly catch my attention. The first is the idea that because we trust God we can have confidence (boast) in God, and also even in suffering because suffering gives us endurance, which builds our character. Character in turn strengthens our hope, which will never be disappointed if it's firmly rooted in God. That doesn't mean we won't be disappointed sometimes about the way things go in our lives, but it means that God won't ever leave us alone.

The other idea that holds me here is the idea that since Christ died for us while we were still sinners, obviously now that we are righteous through his death, his resurrection will fill us with new life. God heals us from sin and gives us the chance to start fresh in a life of faith, love and service. Nothing can separate us from God if we grab hold of the love he offers us.

Blessings on your day,
Sam

Romans 5:1-10
Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 2through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. 3And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, 5and hope does not disappoint us, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us.
6For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 7Indeed, rarely will anyone die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person someone might actually dare to die. 8But God proves his love for us in that while we still were sinners Christ died for us. 9Much more surely then, now that we have been justified by his blood, will we be saved through him from the wrath of God. 10For if while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, much more surely, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.