“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.
Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life.
More than that, we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” Romans 5:6-11
Hope for Merkinchers:
The other day I was walking back to our scheme through the tunnel that marks the border of Merkinch, and I laughed when I saw the words of welcome that our scheme offers:
The “Turn Back Now” graffiti got me thinking about the unstoppable, glorious Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. Why is there hope for Merkinch? There’s hope because “while we were sinners, Christ died for us.” God saves people like me and like Merkinchers who have run from God and openly rejected Him because God’s salvation and forgiveness is not based on our merit. It is a total gift of grace. So the world may have given up on the schemes, but the Gospel can’t be turned back because it is based on the perfect atonement of Jesus. No darkness or brokenness here in Merkinch is too great for the Lord to overcome. May we rejoice, then, with exceedingly great joy this Christmastime “in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.” And may we pray earnestly that more will receive this reconciliation and be forgiven and raised to life through the grace of God.
Pray for Anderson Court:
I live across the street from one of the rough places in Merkinch known affectionately as “Anderson Ourt” because of the worn-out road sign. It’s a place of great hopelessness, anger, and violence. And to many it’s home. This week I am committing to pray for this area of our scheme. Will you join me? With a word the Lord can bring people dead in sin into newness of life in Christ. I know because He did it for me!
Isaiah 9:2,
Claire
Claire in Scotland 