"God Pause Daily Devotional" The Luther Seminary from Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 18 May 2016 with Scripture Romans 5:1-5

"God Pause Daily Devotional" The Luther Seminary from Saint Paul, Minnesota, United States for Wednesday, 18 May 2016 with Scripture Romans 5:1-5

Romans 5:1 So, since we have come to be considered righteous by God because of our trust, let us continue to have shalom with God through our Lord, Yeshua the Messiah. 2 Also through him and on the ground of our trust, we have gained access to this grace in which we stand; so let us boast about the hope of experiencing God’s glory. 3 But not only that, let us also boast in our troubles; because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope; 5 and this hope does not let us down, because God’s love for us has already been poured out in our hearts through the Ruach HaKodesh who has been given to us.[Complete Jewish Bible]

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A father promised his son a pony for his birthday. The big day arrived and the son asked, "Where's the pony?" "It's out in the barn; go get it," said the father. So the son went out to the barn and opened the barn door. All he could see was a pile of manure, so he began to shovel. "There's a pony in here! There's a pony in here from my father!" he said to himself. "My father promised me and he does not lie." Amid the "manure" of life, our Father provides a gift. When I told this Sufi story to my primary care physician, he shared a Buddhist saying, "No mud, no lotus."

In today's reading, Paul writes that suffering (manure, mud) leads to hope (pony, lotus), and "hope does not disappoint us, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit." 

Remind us, oh God, that when everything around us is spinning out of control you are still with us and give us hope. Amen.

David Kupka

Retired

Doctor of Ministry, 1983

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,

2 through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.

3 And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance,

4 and endurance produces character, and character produces hope,

5 and 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. [New Revised Standard Version]

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