Day 7: No longer God's enemies
At one time you were separated from God. You were God’s enemies in your minds because the evil deeds you did were against God (Colossians 1:21 – ICB).
Father in heaven, God of mercy, God of grace, we give joyful thanks to You—You have qualified us to share in the inheritance of Your holy people in the kingdom of light...You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son You love, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins (Colossians 1:12-14).
For many of us, it is startling to consider ourselves enemies of God, but Scripture explains that ever since human disobedience caused sin to enter into Your perfect world, we are all born into a natural human state that is hostile to God. And yet, in Your love and mercy, You came to us in our rebellion and hostility, to reconcile us to Yourself:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:6-8).
The text goes on to explain that we are saved from the righteous wrath of God by reconciliation through Jesus' sacrificial death on our behalf:
Since we have now been justified by His blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through Him! 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 5:9-10).
Oh Father, how can we thank You for this great love? You have rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son You love. You have transformed us from living in hostility as God's enemies, to living under grace as children of God. We share the joy and wonder in the apostle John's exclamation:
See what great love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God! And that is what we are! (1 John 3:1).
Thank You for Your great love. Thank You for Your transforming power. Thank You for Your amazing grace!
In tenderness He sought me,
Weary and sick with sin,
And on His shoulders brought me
Back to His fold again.
While angels in His presence sang
Until the courts of heaven rang.
Refrain:
Oh, the love that sought me!
Oh, the blood that bought me!
Oh, the grace that brought me to the fold,
Wondrous grace that brought me to the fold!
He washed the bleeding sin-wounds
And poured in oil and wine;
He whispered to assure me,
“I’ve found thee, thou art Mine;”
I never heard a sweeter voice;
It made my aching heart rejoice! (Refrain)
He pointed to the nail-prints,
For me His blood was shed,
A mocking crown so thorny
Was placed upon His head:
I wondered what He saw in me,
To suffer such deep agony. (Refrain)
~ W. Spencer Walton ~ 1894
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