When
we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us
sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person,
though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially
good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us
while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God's sight
by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God's condemnation. For
since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while
we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his
Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because
our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:6-11
Friends.
Friendships. Relationships. You can’t have one without the other. No
relationship with God, with Jesus, with the Holy Spirit…or with any people is without
some level of love and friendship. Even in a strained relationship there is a
physical or emotional attachment.
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| The Western Wall - known as The Wailing Wall Jerusalem Praying for Restoration of Peace in Relationships |
Restore—that
is a great word. There are so many times that things…people’s health, fortunes, belongings, relationships, walls, and the Temple…are restored in the Bible. I
love it when Job’s friends think that his problems stem from sin. If only they
could see like we do that Job’s tribulations exist because of Satan’s attack…not
Job’s sin or attitude. At one point Job’s friend Eliphaz just tells him to
straighten out his life.
If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored—so
clean up your life. Job 22:23
Has there
been a time in your life when you have had something restored? Did you ask God
for help…for that restoration? Or did you see God at work in that change? Was
there a person…a friend…who helped you in reestablishing a relationship, like
Jesus did in reinstating mankind’s relationship—individually and corporately—with
God? What a friend we have in Jesus. Are you a friend like that to someone…or
is someone a friend like that to you? Like Job’s friend said…return to the Almighty. Make sure your
relationship with God is in good condition. Then as Paul wrote to the church at
Rome…now we can rejoice in our wonderful
new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of
God. Rejoice—celebrate your relationship with God.
Prayer
~ Jesus, Thank you for restoring to me the joy of Your salvation, and helping
me to be willing to obey You. Psalm 51:12.
Daily
Bible Reading: Acts 4-6
© 2018 Text and
Photos by Mickey M. Hunacek. All rights reserved.
All
scripture quoted from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.
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