Awesome Promises

     Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. (Romans 5:1-2)

     Wow!  I must've read those verses several times in the past without ever grasping their significance.  There are just so many Christian buzzwords in them (justified, faith, peace, Lord, grace, rejoice, hope, God, glory) that it always felt like old news.  A quick skim of them was all I ever gave, because I felt like I'd read the same thing a thousand times before.  But I never actually read and understood what those verses really mean.
     An old idiom that has been passed down to me states: where there's a 'therefore,' look back to see what it's there for.  Indeed, the 'therefore' in this passage refers to the preceding chapter and a half or so of Romans, where Paul (the author) strives to prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that it is faith that connects people with God, not the law or good works or ethnicity.  Simply faith.  Paul writes that we are justified by faith, which is mind-blowing by itself.  I have committed crimes against the King of the universe, and all I must to do be forgiven is believe.  That promise seems unbelievable, but it's a true one.  I do believe, and so I am no longer guilty!
     That being established, Paul goes on to write of the result: peace with God.  Before I believed and came to repentance, I was under His wrath.  God and I were not copacetic.  I didn't have any peace inside because I didn't have peace with the One who loves me most.  But through Jesus, I have peace with God, being forgiven of every sin.  That is amazing!
     But wait, there's more!  Peace alone is not all that I gain through faith.  Faith is also the gateway to grace.  I have had mercy and grace defined to me this way: mercy is when we don't get what we deserve.  Grace is when we get what we don't deserve.  Getting to be at peace with God the Just is mercy, but I am given grace on top of it.  I have love, joy, and strength each day, along with many other gifts from my Father.
     Finally, I am given a very special hope.  I have the hope of seeing the glory of God one day.  That I, a filthy, wicked, wretched sinner, once alienated from God, could be able to stand without shame in His holy presence, seeing with my own eyes His holiness, is simply awesome.  God is the most beautiful anything ever, perfect, love, truth, life, eternal, powerful, wise, and utterly indescribable.  He possesses a glory no words could ever begin to do justice to.  And one day, I will see it.  That is something to be joyful about!
     All I had to do to receive all this was believe.  It's so easy that it's difficult.  But it is what God has promised, and it is true for every soul in the world.  I beg you, let that truth seep into your mind.  These two verses are wonderfully rich with God's promises to His followers.  I almost missed it, having heard the message so many times.
     Maybe for you, reading this article will end up being just another time you heard that God is really cool and loving, etc. etc.  I hope and pray otherwise.  May we never count the price paid for us a common thing.  It was not.  It's a marvelous thing.
     Peace, grace, and hope to you all.  God bless.