Romans 6:1-11 - What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace may abound? By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it? Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? We were buried therefore with Him by Baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life. For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His. We know that our old self was crucified with Him in order that the body of sin might be brought to nothing, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. For one who has died has been set free from sin. Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with Him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.
In today's passage, God says that we have been united with Christ—and notice that past tense verb! He means it has already happened, not that it's going to happen in the future. He says that we were baptized into Him, buried with Him, even crucified with Him. Nothing and nobody can separate us from Jesus. You can't get the tip of a knife between us and Him.
If this is the truth (and of course it is, why would the Holy Spirit say it otherwise!), then that means that Jesus' death is our death, and His resurrection is our resurrection. And that means we can stop worrying about our future. Where Jesus goes, we go too; nothing will separate us, ever again. When we die, He will be with us, and He will show us the way—He is the Way; and He will take us to be with Him in His Father's house. And when the Last Day comes, He will raise us from the dead, just as He Himself has risen from the dead. He will not lose us, and we will not lose Him. We are safe forever.
So what about right now, today? We are joined to Him even now, this very minute, and that means we can call on Him for help when we need it. It's not a case of "Jesus is up there, and I am down here in the mud of temptation and guilt." No, He is with us in the mud, and that's where He wants to be. No one ever understood us as thoroughly as Jesus, or loves us as much as He does. Even when we give up on ourselves, He doesn't give up on us. We are His forever.
WE PRAY: Lord, You know my struggles; be with me and help me! Amen.
This Daily Devotion was written by Dr. Kari Vo.
Reflection Questions:
1. What is the closest you have ever been to another person?
2. Is it hard for you to believe that God wants you this close to Him?
3. Take a moment to ask Jesus to help you with something you can't handle yourself.
Today's Bible Readings: Genesis 20-22 Matthew 6:19-34
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