“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”  Romans 5:10

Romans 5:10 was Biblegateway’s verse of the day, a few days ago.  God brings everything I read together so well.  I am also reading a daily devotional by Dietrich Bonhoeffer, a Lutheran pastor and theologian who participated in the resistance against Hitler in WWII.  His perspective is illuminating, sometimes cuts you to the quick.  Today’s devotional was about how Judas betrayed Jesus, Judas ‘“ “one of the twelve”‘¦how someone who had been around Jesus and heard His teaching could betray Him is amazing.  But he points out that it is more amazing that Jesus had called Judas, whom He knew would betray Him.

Think of it…isn’t this just like us?

•  We have His Word, His teachings, and we have His fellowship, yet we betray Him when we reject God’s authority over us and go it alone, our own way.
• And Jesus calls us, died for us, waits for us, all this knowing that we will elevate ourselves daily, rather than exalting Him.

How many times do we identify ourselves with Peter ‘“ who denied the Lord and seeing this betrayal, was heartbroken and repented?  But in these small daily denials of not loving another as we have been called to do, forsaking prayer time or time in the Word, saving all of our best for something other than Jesus (work, play, loved ones)‘¦are we more like Peter, heartbroken and forever changed, or like Judas, self-seeking and unrepentant?

To be in relationship with One who loves us unconditionally is wonderful but can also leave us living ungratefully.  Jesus, the Lover of my heart, help me to be true to you today and do unto You as You have done unto me.

justAgirl…just like you