Marissa Henley

Encouraging weary women to hope in Christ alone

Christ Died for Us {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5-8

Most of us will never face the excruciating decision of whether or not we will die to spare someone else’s life. But think with me for a moment: For whom would you die? A family member or close friend? If you were in the unimaginable situation of choosing between your life or your child’s life, would you die for your child? There are loved ones I would die for, but I have to admit, the list for is short.

What if a criminal broke into your home and stole all that you had. He robbed you blind, showing his disdain for you, your family, and your belongings. Then an even nastier criminal found him, dragged him to you, and gave you a choice: your life or his. Would you die for the one who hated you? What if the choice was between the criminal’s life or your child’s life? Would you sacrifice your son or daughter to spare the criminal? I wouldn’t.

But God did.

Romans 5:6-8: For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. For one will scarcely die for a righteous person—though perhaps for a good person one would dare even to die—but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

While we were yet sinners and enemies of God, Christ died for us. We can confidently trust God’s love for us, because He proved it on a real day in history, when a real man who was also the Son of God bled and died to save us from God’s wrath. The Father did not spare His own Son, but gave Him up so His enemies could become His children (see Romans 8:32).

No matter what we face this week, we can trust God’s love is true, because Christ died for us.

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God Keeps Pouring His Love {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5-5b

Romans 5:5: And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

When I was a kid, I swore I’d never say this to my kids: “Because I said so.” I love information. I love explanations. I love knowing all the reasons why.

And yet, sometimes I simply don’t have time to explain. My kids just have to take my word for it. Despite my childhood convictions, they’ve heard me say “because I said so” countless times!

When it comes to faith, sometimes we simply have to take God at His Word. We obey or believe because He said so.

But there are other truths that God doesn’t ask us to blindly believe. In His kindness, He gives us evidence. The hope we’ve been discussing for the past few weeks falls into this latter category.

God proves to us that our hope will endure through suffering and will not put us to shame. The proof is the outpouring of God’s love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit.

Romans 5:5 reminds us that we’ve been given a gift Who keeps on giving. The Holy Spirit is given at our conversion. Then throughout the Christian life, He keeps on pouring God’s love into our hearts.

God gives the Holy Spirit as Exhibit A in His testimony that our hope is not in vain. The Spirit pours love into our hearts over and over and over again, reminding us that the One who redeemed us will never leave our side.

No matter what we face this week, God keeps pouring out His love into our hearts, proving to our weary souls that our hope is certain and true.

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Hope Does Not Put Us to Shame {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5-5a

Romans 5:5 – And hope does not put us to shame . . .

Last week’s verses showed us how our suffering produces hope. Romans 5:5 goes on to say that this hope does not put us to shame. This is an important aspect of hope, because the certainty of it allows us to endure suffering with joy and peace.

When we talk about hope, we often refer to something that may or may not happen. We hope it doesn’t rain on our family picnic. We hope our husband remembers our anniversary. We hope to lose five pounds.

But when the Bible talks about hope, it refers to a sure thing. A rock-solid guarantee. An anchor for our souls.

I love how Dr. R.C. Sproul describes this truth: “Hope is not taking a deep breath and hoping things are going to turn out all right. It is assurance that God is going to do what He says He will do.”

We don’t cross our fingers and hope God’s love doesn’t turn out to be a sham. We know. We have hope because the God who always keeps His promises said that one day, He will make all things new. This hope will never put us to shame.

Wishes and dreams can’t anchor a hurting soul. Only the true and certain hope of the Lord is our sure foundation in the storm.

Whatever you face this week, your hope in the Lord will not put you to shame.

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Suffering Produces Hope {No Matter What Monday}

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Romans 5-3-4

Last week, we looked at the foundation of our joy: the grace of God and His free gift of eternal life in Christ. Heaven seems like a great reason to rejoice, right?

But in the next verse of Romans 5, Paul throws a curveball:

“Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings . . .” (Romans 5:3)

Wait, what? I’m on board with rejoicing in the thought of eternal glory, but rejoicing in suffering? You better explain yourself, Paul!

“ . . . Knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:3-4)

I’d love to develop endurance, character, and hope. But if I’m honest, I’d rather enjoy a comfortable, easy, suffering-free life. I lose interest my character development quickly if it requires suffering to get there.

However, God is more concerned with my character than my comfort. He is working to conform me to the likeness of His Son, not to conform my lifestyle to match my neighbor’s. Joni Eareckson Tada, a quadriplegic and cancer survivor, says it this way: “Sometimes God permits what He hates to accomplish what He loves.”

God hates suffering, illness, tragedy, and death. But in His mysterious sovereignty, He uses suffering to accomplish what He loves: teaching His beloved children endurance, growing our character, and giving us hope. As our earthly foundations crumble through suffering, we see that the only true source of hope is the Lord. Suffering is not good. But finding our hope in the Lord is very good indeed.

No matter what you face this week, your suffering will produce something wonderful: hope in the Lord.

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