Romans 5:6-11
Scripture: Romans 5:6-11 (ESV)
“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die— but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life. More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”
Devotion:
In our lives, we often find ourselves struggling with the idea of worthiness. We wonder if we are good enough, smart enough, or actually just enough for others and for ourselves. This deep-seated feeling of inadequacy is a symptom of our broken nature. We all know, deep down, that our actions, thoughts, and desires often fall short of what we know to be good and true.
Enter Romans 5:6-11. Paul here shines a light on this very struggle, but not with condemnation, with hope. He tells us that at our lowest — “while we were still weak” and at our worst — “while we were still sinners,” Christ made the ultimate sacrifice for us. This is the core of our faith. That we are entirely unworthy in our ungodliness. But that God loved us anyway and made the way clear for us to be saved. Christians aren’t the heroes of their faith story. Jesus is.
Imagine, for a moment, someone stepping into your life at your lowest point, not to judge or to save you from worldly troubles, but to say, “You are worth everything to me, even my life.” That’s what Jesus did on the cross. It’s a love that doesn’t make sense to our transactional minds, where everything has a price, and every deed must be earned. But that is the kind of love God shows us. Self-sacrificing, willing-to-die-for-my-enemies type love.
This passage doesn’t just reassure us of God’s love – it fundamentally reframes our understanding of our worthiness. It strips away any sense of achievement we might have in our own works, and puts our worth entirely at Jesus’ feet. We are worthy, because he is worthy. We are lovely, because he loves us. We are righteous, because he has made us righteous. We have value, because we Jesus in us. Once we realise this, it strips away our pride, and replaces it with Christ honouring humility. May that be true of you today.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for loving me at my weakest, for finding me worthy of Your sacrifice even when I felt unworthy of any love. Help me grasp the depth of Your love that sees beyond my failings and embraces me in my struggles. Teach me to extend that same unconditional love to others, reflecting Your grace in a world that desperately needs it. Amen.
Challenge for the day:
Today, let’s live out the truth of Romans 5:6-11 by showing kindness without expectation. Offer a gesture of love or support to someone without considering their worthiness or what they can offer in return. Whether it’s a word of encouragement, a helping hand, or a listening ear, let it be a reflection of the unconditional love we’ve received from Christ.