OUR DAILY BREAD 15TH JANUARY 2025 DEVOTIONAL WEDNESDAY ODB MESSAGE
Our Daily Bread 15th January 2025 Devotional TOPIC: A New Beginning with God
BIBLE IN YEAR: Genesis 36-38; Matthew 10:21-42
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KEY VERSE: But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. – Romans 5:8
TODAY’S SCRIPTURE
Romans 5:6-11
TODAY’S ODB INSIGHT
The book of Romans tells us that all humanity is sinful (3:23). We were once enemies of God (5:10) and objects of His wrath (1:18; 2:5). But “God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight . . . through Christ Jesus [who] freed us from the penalty for our sins” (3:24 nlt). In Romans 5:1-11, Paul points to the intensity of God’s love for us. First, “we know how dearly God loves us, because he has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with his love” (v. 5 nlt).
Second, while we were still His enemies and sinners, God gave us His one and only Son to atone for our sins (see 1 John 4:9-10), save us from God’s wrath (Romans 5:9-10), and restore our relationship with Him: “So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God” (v. 11 nlt)
OUR DAILY BREAD 15 JANUARY 2025 – WEDNESDAY ODB DEVOTIONAL MESSAGE:
“Did your sin also put Jesus on the cross?” That’s the question Dutch painter Rembrandt seems to be asking in his 1633 masterpiece, The Raising of the Cross. Jesus appears in the center of the picture as His cross is lifted and put in place.
Four men are doing the lifting, but one stands out in the light surrounding Jesus. His clothing is different; he’s dressed in the style of Rembrandt’s day, wearing a cap the painter often wore. A closer look at his face reveals that Rembrandt has put himself into the painting, as if to say, “My sins had a part in Jesus’ death.”
But there’s another who also stands out. He’s on horseback, looking directly out of the painting. Some see this as a second self-portrait by Rembrandt, engaging all who observe with a knowing glance that seems to ask, “Aren’t you here too?”
Paul saw himself there, and we may also, because Jesus suffered and died for us as well. In Romans 5:10, he refers to himself and us as “God’s enemies.” But even though our sins caused Jesus’ death, His death reconciles us to God: “God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (v. 8).
We stand with both Rembrandt and Paul: sinners in need of forgiveness. Through His cross, Jesus offers us what we could never do for ourselves and meets our deepest need: a new beginning with God.
REFLECT: How were you once God’s enemy? In what ways can you live as His friend today?
PRAY: Dear Jesus, thank You for giving Yourself for me. Please help me to live in Your love today.
Our Daily Bread Ministries (ODB) is a Christian organization founded by Dr. Martin De Haan in 1938. It is based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, with over 600 employees. It produces several devotional publications, including Our Daily Bread. our daily bread devotional for today audio our daily bread booklet
