Day 204

Hosea 8:1-9:17, Romans 8:1-17, Proverbs 17:25-18:6

I’m wondering today how Hosea felt, whether it was like bashing his head against a brick wall. 

It all seems to be endless doom and gloom at the moment and it made me think about the people who stand on street corners with their placards shouting that God is angry and the end is near. Hosea’s message does not seem that dissimilar for the people of Israel, and they may have felt the same away about the prophets as people think of those who stand around today shouting the near end of the earth. I wonder.

Paul has a very different message for us in today’s reading. The very first line gives us a new picture from the past few days:

“Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus”

Paul has been talking about the relationship between sin and the law and now he turns the spotlight well and truly on Christ. The passage also speaks to us of the power of the Spirit to help us overcome sin, making us heirs with Christ. Even at the worst possible times, when sin seems to have a huge hold on us, Paul is telling us that the Spirit is there to help us and fight for us. The idea of the spirit freeing us from slavery and putting to death sinful nature gives areal sense of a battle won. That is the victory in Christ!

We cannot underestimate the importance of this passage, that we are members of the family of God. He is our father, an immense feeling. They say that blood is thicker than water, that there is no bond closer than a family. Here the Spirit is bringing us into the best ever family. Try and grasp today what the Spirit has done for you.