Love Poured Out

One of the most beautiful and deeply comforting verses I have ever read is Romans 5:5 –

And hope does not put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

After writing to the believers in Rome of the awesome power of God revealed in the gospel, and presenting justification as a living experience based on the life of Abraham, Paul here draws a connection between grace and tribulation (vv. 2-3). As we stand in God’s grace, enjoying Him as our portion, we should also be able to boast in tribulation, seeing the trials we pass through as opportunities to know God’s supply.

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Grace In Which We Stand

Paul stood and boasted in the grace of God (Rom. 5:2). Understanding grace as unmerited favor is a good beginning, but the New Testament presents a deeper view. Grace is not something to have that is separate from Christ, but is actually Christ (John 1:17) to be enjoyed by us! It’s easy to focus on the blessings God may give us in the material realm: money, job stability, health. We also appreciate the spiritual things God gives us, like peace, joy, and love. Eventually, however, the greatest blessing is the enjoyment of God Himself. He has “graced us in the Beloved” (Eph. 1:6). In Christ, we are not just in a new place. We are joined to a wonderful Person who is grace.

Click here for a 1-minute reading (mp3 file) of Romans 5:2 and the Recovery Version footnote on grace.

Click here for more 1-minute readings.