Today's Scripture:

Romans 5:1-11 (NIV) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we[b] boast in the hope of the glory of God. Not only so, but we[c] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 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. Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Read: Reflect on a story in your life that pertains to this scripture.
This text shows that our justification by faith is the causation of our freedom, therefore, there are a lot of benefits like, peace, direct access to God, salvation, the Holy Spirit pouring God’s love into our hearts and resilience in times of suffering. The bottom line is that the effect of justification is that God is promising to build us up and we can be so certain about this that we can boast about it, not in our power or effort but on the mighty power of a Loving God to whom we are reconciled for eternity.

Reflect: What is this scripture telling you during this season?
I used to watch a TV program called Fear-Factor, it was about people being challenged and dared to do things you would not normally do, like sticking your hand in a tank full of snakes or spiders. I always wonder if those people are built different, they seem to have an inner braveness that is admirable. I think the scripture today encourages to realize we are filled with the Christ-Factor in us, and we should be bold about how we approach life. Sometimes we understand justification as if it is just a ticket to heaven, but that doesn’t sound daring or challenging. When we read the Bible, we are constantly reminded that our calling includes perseverance, hope, and the ability to bounce back from difficult situations. Therefore, we are challenged to live differently by the way we face the good and the bad moments in life. When we do it we can surely boast that it is the Spirit of Christ that enables us. God has opened the door for me to share with my coworkers about Jesus and mostly during lunch time. Sometimes the topics are difficult and I don't always know what to say but I know that God is there with me. I am constantly praying for opportunities to share and boast about the Love of God.

Respond: How is this scripture calling you to respond?
We are called to love other people that are not reconciled with God yet. It is not easy, but as Christians we are affirmed that we have what we need to put ourselves out there. Don't be shy, tell people what Jesus is doing in your life. Proclaim the Gospel and live it out, after all, we are in the Way because someone dared to preach Christ to us.

About Francisco Garibay:
I am bi-vocational. I work as a Software Engineer for Sensiaglobal located here in Houston. I also work as Grace en Español Pastor. My wife Myrna and I have 3 children. Karen a freshman at Texas A&M, Maya a freshman at HC, and Andres a 5th grader at Grace. We love Grace and we feel loved by Grace every single day.
We have been members of Grace for about 24 years. Currently I am a mentor at Paul Revere serving with Friends of Westchase. I preach almost every Sunday. I teach and lead several groups through out the year like Preaching training, Teens class, New Members and Christmas programs. I also lead Fe Maya a nonprofit organization that is building a school for underserved children in Guatemala.