In the past three weeks, we have asked Who Is Worthy? We discussed The Wages of Sin and The Price He Paid.

Our drawings led us to visualize our separation from God with two mountains and a valley of sin that separates us.

We talked about the price Jesus paid on the cross and how that created a bridge, a way between us and God.

The last verse you underlined was Romans 5:8. Turn to that verse, go to the bottom to the page, and write Romans 10:9. You know the routine now—underline it and put a star by it.

Why the star, you ask? If you’re like me, you may have other verses underlined on these pages. The star just helps to stay on track.

While the bridge idea is effective, you can see that “me” is still on one mountain and “God” on the other. Nothing happens until “me” gets on the bridge. The person must make the decision to trust that bridge, to believe in Christ so fully that he or she will take the first step.

Many people believe about Jesus. Yes, he was a good man, maybe even a prophet of some sort, a person in history. Hitler was a person in history too, but we don’t believe in him, only about him. Instead, as Christians, we proclaim—

That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10;9

Believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead. He didn’t stay on the cross. He didn’t stay in the tomb. God raised Him from the dead. Jesus had resurrected life. And that is what He has for us when we put our trust, our faith in Him.

It requires that first step!

Perhaps your prayer of confession might go something like this:

Lord, I know I can’t stand at heaven’s gates and claim to be worthy. I confess that the sin in my life keeps me from your glorious presence. I ask you to forgive me and to help me trust in you enough to take that first step on the bridge Jesus offered by giving his life for me on the cross. Help me keep my eyes focused on you and not the valley of sin. Thank you for the love you have offered me and the gift of eternal life. Amen.

~ Joyce ~