Lent 2014 - March 21

MARCH 21 – Romans 5:1-2, 5-8
By: Frank Raike

Romans 5: Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we[a] have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ,2 through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God. And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us. 6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. 7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

There’s a movie coming out soon, call “Unbroken” adapted from Laura Hillenbrand’s non-fiction bestseller of the same title. The film is directed by Angelina Jolie and is a bio-picture of World War II hero Louis Zamperini, a former Olympic track star of the 1936 Munich Games who survived a plane crash in the Pacific theater, spent 47 days drifting on a raft and then more than two and a half years as a prisoner of war in several brutal Japanese internment camps.

After the war and suffering from severe post-traumatic stress disorder, Zamperini became a born again Christian after attending a crusade led by evangelist Billy Graham in 1949 in Los Angeles. Graham later helped Zamperini launch a new career as a Christian inspirational speaker. One of Louis’ favorite themes is “forgiveness,” and he went back to Japan and visited many of the guards from his POW days to let them know that he has forgiven them. The guards were somewhat surprised by Zamperini’s genuine affection for those who had once ill-treated him.

I believe Zamperini stands as a man justified through faith that has the Holy Spirit poured into his heart. He faced unfathomable suffering and torment only to find the grace and forgiveness for others. He has peace with God. Today, at 96 years of age, Louis is still spry and full of life. He lectures audiences across the globe on how to deal with stress, the meaning of Olympism, and the freedom he found through knowing Jesus.

Prayer
Lord God, as we reflect upon our lives and those activities, challenges, pains, and decisions we make,  help us to keep the faith and remember that we have your grace. Let us always share that love and faith with others. And let us celebrate the peace with you. Amen.