Chris Tomlin - Love Ran Red DevotionsSample

“At The Cross (Love Ran Red)”
Devotional- Chris Tomlin

“There's a place where sin and shame are powerless
Where my heart has peace with God and forgiveness…”

Was there ever a moment at an amusement park when, as a child, you were not quite tall enough to step onto the ride? What about a time when a parent or guardian told you that you could not have the candy or toy you wanted so badly at the store? From the moment that we can touch and see, taste and feel, we know what it means to want – and what it means to meet our limitations.

We all find ourselves faced with the power of those limitations every day. It reminds us that we often need something beyond our own strength or capability to make it. Spiritually, this is especially true since the Bible reminds us that on our own, we are slaves to our sin and shame and that we cannot find peace with God.

Through the cross, however, all of these limitations are suddenly lifted! Through the cross, life triumphs over death! Through the cross, the Christian is set free from the bondage of sin! Through the cross, we are made righteous in Christ!

As Paul writes in one of his letters to the believers at the church at Corinth, “We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” (2 Corinthians 5:20-21)

In addition, Paul also writes to the Roman church, “You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Romans 5:6-8)

Sin and shame are now, indeed, powerless by the cross of Jesus Christ. Our only proper response is one of praise back to our Redeemer.

As the song says, “I owe all to You, Jesus.”

By Matt Conner