A Prayer About the How-much-more-ness of the Gospel
If the many died by the trespass of the one man, how much more did God’s grace and the gift that came by the grace of the one man, Jesus Christ, overflow to the many! Again, the gift of God is not like the result of the one man’s sin: The judgment followed one sin and brought condemnation, but the gift followed many trespasses and brought justification. For if, by the trespass of the one man (Adam), death reigned through that one man, how much more will those who receive God’s abundant provision of grace and of the gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man, Jesus Christ. Romans 5:15-17
Most holy and gracious Father, today my heart is filled with praise for the hyper-abundance of grace which you’ve given us in your Son, Jesus. Through the failure of the first Adam, we were born spiritually dead-willing subjects, co-conspirators, members-in-good-standing in the reign of sin and death. But now, through the work of the second Adam, Jesus, we’ve been made alive, and now live as objects of your affection and subjects in Jesus’ kingdom-the reign of righteousness, peace and joy-the reign of grace.
As dead as we were in our sins and trespasses, we are much, much more alive in Jesus’ forgiveness and righteousness. As distant and disconnected as we were from you because of Adam’s sin and our own sin, we are much, much more at peace and intimate with you through the perfect work of Jesus on our behalf. As narcissistic and navel-gazing as we were through our connection to the first Adam, we are becoming much, much more other-centered, loving and caring through our union with Jesus.
Most generous and loving Father, you are most definitely for us. You didn’t spare your own Son, but gave him up for us all-how will you not also, along with Jesus, graciously give us all things? You’ve justified us and there is now no condemnation. Jesus, you died for us and you now perpetually live to pray for us and advocate for us. NOTHING will ever separate us from your love! (Romans 8:31-35).
Indeed, as grave and great as our condition was through sin and death, the how-much-more-ness of the gospel has trumped it a million times over! So very Amen, we pray, with astonishment, wonder and gratitude, in Jesus’ name.
