Grace & Quickening

I just started doing my devotions using the app, She ReadsTruth. I HIGHLY recommend it. I love it because there are plans you can follow for 8 days, 24 days, even a year. I’m currently doing the plan “This is the Gospel” which is an 8 day plan. It works great for me because the scripture passages aren’t long – they are short passages from different parts of the Bible, all pertaining to one topic. It helps me to not be overwhelmed and keeps me focused. Then once you’re done reading the passages, there is a devotional, and then finally, a place to read and write comments so that you can discuss the readings with other readers if you so choose! It’s awesome, really.

So, anyways. Today I was reading day 6, which is called Receiving Grace. First of all, it was like the woman who wrote the devotional was me. She wrote about how she asked God to save her 20+ times as a teen and young woman. THAT WAS ME FOR ALMOST TWENTY YEARS. It made me feel sooo much better that I’m not alone in that. Finally, God has helped me to see that it’s not about what I pray, or what date I prayed it on, or whether I can remember every little detail – all that matters is that I believe and accept God's grace – and God’s grace carries the rest. His grace is all that is necessary. Not my magic words, or my begging, or my trying. That is remarkable.

The second thing that really struck me about today’s reading was the following verse. “But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you.” –Romans 8:11

Paul the Apostle, those words right there HIT ME square in the face today. Thanks for writing them. And Lord, thank You for that beautiful truth.  This is where this verse took my thoughts this morning – If the Holy Spirit that was powerful enough to raise a dead man, my Savior, from the grave, and that power dwells inside of me, then there is nothing that I can’t handle. Because the Spirit resides in my body, my body (even though it’s struggling hard), is still strong. My mortal body, with its horrible liver. My mortal body, with its weariness. My mortal body, with its aches and its pains. The Holy Spirit resides in that mortal body of mine. And it quickens (which Justin informed me means “makes alive”) my mortal body. Even when I feel like I can’t go on in this body, the Spirit’s power makes it possible for me to face the day, and claim the victory.

That, my friends, is amazing. I am grateful for the Word of God today.

xo, Amanda