Romans 5:6-9, Isaiah 55:6-9, Psalm 3:3, Romans 12:2

David Hellyer from Kingdom Faith considers God's ability to intervene.

David Hellyer

With the youth team at my church, we're reading through the book of Romans together. This week, while I was reading through Romans 5, two words jumped off the page at me:

'When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. 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. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. 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.' Romans 5:6-9

Somehow the comparison that Paul is making had never stood out to me before. He explains that most people wouldn't be willing to die in the place of an upright person. So surely that implies that no-one would bother offering to die in the place of someone who they don't look up to or value? Having established the rarity of the situation, Paul goes on to explain that that is precisely what God did for us. While we were still sinners he sent Jesus.

"But God showed His great love for us." Paul explains. The words that hit me were, "But God". It's like he is saying: "Most people wouldn't do this. But God is different! But God is not most people. But God operates on another level than us".

It reminded me of Isaiah 55:6-9:
'Seek the Lord while you can find him.
Call on him now while he is near.
Let the wicked change their ways
and banish the very thought of doing wrong.
Let them turn to the Lord that he may have mercy on them.
Yes, turn to our God, for he will forgive generously.
"My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts," says the Lord.
"And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
so my ways are higher than your ways
and my thoughts higher than your thoughts'.

What a delightful and reassuring realisation. God is above the situations that we're in. He sees the end from the beginning and nothing surprises him. God truly is above all.

For those times when I'm stuck and it seems like there is no way out - "But God" intervenes!

I pray that today you would surrender to him and allow his view of your situation to be what determines your outlook. If you see fear or failure, allow God to be a shield around you and your glory and the lifter of your head! Allow him to shape the way you see the world around you.

Whilst in our humanity may think one way - know that "But God" sees things differently!

By faith choose be a new person by allowing God to transform your thinking, like we're encouraged in Romans 12:2.