JANUARY 3, 2025
Topic: “INTIMACY WITH GOD RESTORED”
Text: Romans 5:1-11 (read also 2 Corinthians 5:18-21; Mark 15:38; Heb 4:14-16)
Memory Verse: “Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ…” Rom 5:1
Though in our meditation yesterday we saw how mankind lost intimacy with God because of disobedience to His word and was alienated from Him, yet due to the love of God and His faithfulness, He would not allow mankind to remain separated from Him eternally, Col 1:20-22. His nature in mankind was too much of an investment to be wasted forever by a loving God. He, therefore, made a way to restore us to Himself forever.
Since it was required that blood be shed for the remission of sin, God gave His one and only son (Jesus Christ) as an offering for the redemption of mankind from sin and all its consequences. The son died, shedding his blood as the Lamb of God so that sinful man may be forgiven and reconciled to a holy God, and by this sacrifice, we have been brought back to the place of intimacy with God forever. We who have been washed by the blood of Jesus can now enjoy God’s peace, mercy, and grace as we walk intimately with Him. We now have a brand-new relationship with the Lord through the substitutionary death of Jesus on the cross. We now call God Abba, a word showing intimacy.
Since you now know what separated mankind from God, you must do everything to avoid going back to that situation. Yield yourself to God and refuse the devil and everything he offers. Draw near to God through Jesus Christ and run away from every evil. Remember, friendship with sin is enmity with God, Rom 6:2: James 4:4.
PRAYER: Thank God again for your redemption and recommit yourself to an intimate relationship with Him. If you have not yet experienced salvation, then confess your sins to the Lord now and ask Jesus to come into your heart and save you.