⁶ When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. ⁷ Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. ⁸ But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. ⁹ And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. ¹⁰ For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. ¹¹ So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.

Romans 5:6-11

Dear God, I really need to be better at communicating this to people I see throughout the day. I need to be better about sharing this reconciliation with you. The trick for me is that I know it’s not just about realizing their need for you and evening being willing to repent, but getting them to somehow walk the narrow path.

I have a friend who’s really struggling in their marriage right now. Actually I have a couple of friends in that situation. I’ve encouraged them both to really discipline themselves to walk closely with you and be as healthy as they can before they make any definitive decisions about the future of their marriages. I suspect that the healthier they get the more clarity they will get as to how to respond to their spouses.

I just got a text while I was typing this from a friend who said she and her husband are taking their adult son to rehab today for substance abuse. Oh, Father, the path will have to be narrow for him as well. I know he’s battled addiction for about 20 years. Help him to find the narrow path.

Father, lest I forget, I need to walk the narrow path as well. Jesus saved me from your condemnation, but that does me no good here if I don’t live it out during my earthly life. The only way to experience your fruit is to graft my branch to your vine. So I come to you to worship you, love you, and then take that love and give it to others as much as I can.

I pray this in Jesus and with your Holy Spirit,

Amen