Are you in need of peace? Are you looking for something you already have? What does it mean to you to be justified? Do you think of being justified in your actions? Do you think of standing before a judge who acquits you of your offenses?
Peace can be allusive for us in this world. We see and hear of conflict and drama wherever we go. It occurs in our lives or the lives of those around us. It occurs across our nation and around the world. We may wonder if peace is possible. It is.
When we think of being justified, it is often related to our actions. In fact, it is often our retaliation against someone who has wronged us. In other words, our justification is really about blaming someone else for us taking matters of justice (as we see it) into our own hands. Whether we are standing in front of a judge or seeking to justify ourselves to others who we believe will judge us for our actions.
But being justified before God has nothing to do with blame and it erases judgment. We are justified because of our faith in Jesus and His sacrifice for us. He paid the price we owe for our wrongdoing. Putting our faith in Him and knowing the penalty has been paid is available to us through God’s grace.
It is in the grace of God that we stand. Without God’s grace we cannot stand at all. It is God’s grace that we are to boast about. His wonderful grace provides us with the hope we all seek. It is the hope we have for eternal life. Our hope is not a false hope but a hope that is confident that God will fulfill his promises.
I pray we all accept the peace of God into our lives. I pray we put our faith in Jesus Christ. I pray each one of us know we are justified by our faith and God’s grace, receiving hope, and sharing in God’s glory. Seek God’s peace. Know you are justified by faith. Receive God’s grace. Put your hope in God. Share in his glory.
Romans 5:1-2 Therefore, since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God.
Marty Pressey 