The Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts
Daily Scripture
Romans 5:1-5
Did You Know?
The Holy Spirit was a major subject for the apostle Paul. “In numeric terms, rûaḥ refers to the Spirit of God an estimated 90 times in the Hebrew Scriptures…. In contrast pneuma refers to God’s Spirit 112 to 115 times (depending on the understanding of some passages) in the much smaller collection of letters [by Paul].” * We cannot study all of those verses in six days of GPS but aim to underscore many of the apostle’s major teachings about the Holy Spirit this week.
1 Therefore, since we have been made righteous through his faithfulness [or faith], we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. 2 We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand through him, and we boast in the hope of God’s glory. 3 But not only that! We even take pride in our problems, because we know that trouble produces endurance, 4 endurance produces character, and character produces hope. 5 This hope doesn’t put us to shame, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Daily Reflection & Prayer
Emotions are volatile. As we follow Jesus, we don’t always feel that “the love of God has been poured out in our hearts.” Even reformers like Martin Luther or John Wesley felt “down” at times. “The story of Scripture, Luther began to understand, is not how we make our way up the mountain by getting grace and then topping it off with love and works. Scripture is the story of how God came down to meet us—while we were yet sinners.” ** The apostle Paul said the Holy Spirit’s presence fills our hearts with the reality of God’s love, however we feel.
- Paul said the Holy Spirit pours God’s love into our hearts. This divine presence is a gift to all believers, helping you experience God’s love in a personal way. How aware are you of the Holy Spirit’s work in your life? Can you recall a time when you felt particularly guided or comforted by the Spirit? How might actively seeking the Spirit’s presence change your daily walk with God?
- Paul twice used forms of the Greek verb kauchaomai in Romans 5. In verse 2, the Common English Bible renders it “we boast in the hope of God’s glory.” Verse 3 reads, “We even take pride in our problems,” which may be even harder to believe. In both spots, the verb implied “to rejoice, be very happy.” *** Has the movement Paul described from trouble to endurance, to character, to hope ever helped lead you to trust that the Holy Spirit has “poured out” divine love in your heart?
Prayer
Lord Jesus, thank you for your willingness to die for me before I was even born, and to draw my heart to you. And thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to guide me into your kind of life. Amen.
GPS Insights
Valerie Nagel
Valerie Nagel serves as a Connection and Care Pastor at Resurrection Leawood. She was born, raised, and attended college in California. Her Master of Divinity degree is from Duke Divinity School. She began serving as an associate pastor in the Rio Texas Conference in 2011 in the Austin area and San Antonio. From congregational care and welcoming guests to leading in worship, Valerie loves the ministry of the local church. She juggles ministry with being a mom to Caleb (born 2012) and Jacob (born 2015), friend, avid reader, lover of the outdoors, beginner to the world of CrossFit, and foodie.
A few years ago, I was introduced to contemplative prayer. * It’s a way of silently sitting with God. As thoughts come up, you let them go by. The hope is that in the 5, 10, or 20 minutes of quiet you can experience the presence of God in a way that isn’t primarily focused on the words we use. Using words in prayer is a great way to connect with God. And I’ve found that when I take the time to sit with God in silence, I am always grateful for the opportunity to simply be.
Whether you use a short phrase to help you focus your attention, something like, “Come, Lord” or you are able to let thoughts go without needing a phrase to focus your mind and body, this silent prayer is an opportunity to let go of all that holds our attention. When things are going well, my kids and I had a fun weekend, I enjoyed Sunday worship, and I had a chance to catch up with a friend, contemplative prayer is there as a gift to help me simply be present with God. When things are difficult and I’m worried about a friend undergoing cancer treatments, the grief of losing my mom weighs on my heart, or a church member asked for prayer because they still haven’t found a job after months of looking, contemplative prayer is there as a gift to help me simply be present with God.
My days are filled with a wide variety of thoughts and feelings. What contemplative prayer reminds me is that in it all, God is with me. God’s Spirit is ever present. Whatever is happening in my life, in a friend’s life, in my family, or the world, God is with us. Stopping all my activities and trying to even stop the chatter in my mind has helped me to experience God’s love for me. God’s love for me is not based on anything I do. God’s love for me is not something waiting for me after I go through a difficult season. God’s love for me is not transactional. God’s love for me simply is. God looks at us with love. Whatever is happening in our lives God is with us. God’s Spirit can bring us peace, joy, comfort, and guidance. And, no matter how I feel, I believe that God is with me and God loves me. I love setting aside time to simply be with God. I’m praying that whatever is happening in your life you can take moment today not only to remember God is with you and that God loves you, but that you might also sit with God and experience that presence and love, too.
* The first book I read about it was The Heart of Centering Prayer by Cynthia Bourgeault. I enjoyed Into the Silent Land: A Guide to The Christian Practice of Contemplation by Martin Laird.
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Scripture quotations are taken from The Common English Bible ©2011. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
References
* Terence P. Paige, article “Holy Spirit” in Dictionary of Paul and His Letters. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1993, p. 405.
** Steven Paulson, Luther for Armchair Theologians. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2004, p. 62-63
*** Barclay M. Newman and Eugene A. Nida, A Translator’s Handbook on Paul’s Letter to the Romans. New York: United Bible Societies, 1973, p. 93.
