You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 5:6-8

Dear God, it seems like my source for daily Bible verses, Bible Gateway’s Verse of the Day, has been focused a lot on redemption for sins lately. Maybe it’s an Easter thing, but it makes me think of my pastor in high school. My criticism of him, in retrospect, is that he spent almost every Sunday talking about your grace and hardly any time talking about discipleship. It left me having to largely figure out relationship with you on my own.

Faith in you without discipleship becomes just a philosophy by which I live my life. If I am a Christian who isn’t pursuing relationship with you, in the end, I am nothing more than a person who has added the Christian philosophy into my life, but I’m not giving the Holy Spirit opportunities to transform me into a new creation. I don’t leave room for conviction for my sins. I don’t open myself up to changing my mind on issues. I don’t die to myself, take up my cross, and really follow you.

Father, take me farther down the road today. Help me to use prayer time like this to consider my beliefs and take a step closer to your heart. Help me to glorify you.

In Jesus’ name I pray,

Amen