18 April, 2022
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith. Romans 3:23–25a
Abba Father, Gracious God, you have, in your unbounded compassion for mankind, who are by nature, arrogant and wicked, trapped in the bondage of sin and shackled by unmitigated acts of corruption, chosen to set them free, and to acquit them of guilt by bestowing upon them the gift of grace. A free gift, that they cannot boast of having earned, because it is purely out of your mercy, based on their faith, that you justify them with this unmerited favor.
This gift you accomplished by sending your very own Son, Jesus Christ, to live amongst us, reveal the mighty Presence of his Father to us, and by faith, lead us to love and serve you, to enter into an eternal relationship with you for the salvation of our souls. Jesus offered his life as a ransom for us and purchased our deliverance, bearing crucifixion on the Cross, for our sake. We pray for an increase in faith, for it is by faith that we are saved.
Strengthen us Lord, with forbearance to zealously imitate the life of Christ, in the assurance of the rich rewards of our faith and the terrible condemnation if we fall prey to the rulers of wicked domains. Through faith, believing, relying on the truth that this amazing sacrifice is alone sufficient for our justification, in the atoning sacrifice made for us, the more we live, the more our lives are full of gratitude, desiring to give you God, all glory and honor for the mercy and grace displayed in saving us through Christ Jesus, in his Name we acclaim. Amen
