Saturday, March 26

Romans 3:19-31

After reading my three scripture choices, I chose this scripture because it speaks of faith. We are all children of God yet we are all sinners! As a single parent, or probably any parent for that matter, but I only know life of a single parent…I see this scripture as God being the parent who has set the rules for which his children are to live by, 25 God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement,[b] through the shedding of his blood—to be received by faith. What more should it take, to make us behave, to live without sin, to believe. How frustrating it must be for him that he asks so little and yet some just don’t get it. Like raising a child and you teach him everything you know, in a worldly way, so that he will grow up and become a respectable adult. But kids don’t always listen; sometimes they grow to a certain age and take a different path. The rules haven’t changed; the 10 commandments are still the same, never wavering from meaning. Yet some still choose the “other” path. Faith is the constant, you can’t buy faith, you can’t just say I have faith; you have to acquire it through God. He is always there, trying to reach out to each of us 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.
I am thankful that I have found a very strong faith. I am a different person today because of it. God is there for me; I pray that I will continue to grow spiritually from my faith. He is with me, guiding me, helping me to make the right choices. This scripture speaks to me by reminding me that there is only one God, and that if I give him everything it will be okay. And, I know, by my faith that this is true. God asks nothing of me, but to believe in him. The Cultivating Fruitfulness book asked that I see where I was at 5 years ago, where I am at today, and where I hope to be in 5 years from now with my faith. God is first and has been for quite some time, and I don’t see that changing in my life in the next 5 years or ever for that matter. If I were to go back 20 years, that is a different story! I was not how I am today. I have always believed in God, but I had stopped coming to church, prayed for selfish reasons and was not involved with my church family. In recent years I have developed a wonderful relationship with God. I truly enjoy my church family as if they were all my own family. As for prayer, I pray faithfully now for others first and then myself. He answered my prayers when he gave me Caleb, and I have thanked him everyday for giving me this special gift. I pray that I never disappoint him for giving me Caleb.


Submitted by Kelly O'Connor