Friday, July 23, 1999
Friday, July 23, 1999
The free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Finally, as daylight was breaking, the train stopped. The doors of the cattle car were opened and
they were marched out. The guards had them line up along the railroad tracks. The pastor's
family looked at one another knowing they would soon be separated from each other and led off
to certain death. In the midst of their gloom, they discovered some news too good to be
true--news beyond belief! They discovered, in the bright morning sunlight, that they were not in a
death camp at all. In fact they were not even in Germany, but in Switzerland! During their night
of terror, some courageous and daring person, had tripped a switch and sent the train to
Switzerland and freedom. Instead of being sent to a certain death, they were welcomed to new
life.
That is the message Paul is trying to communicate to Roman Christians. The wages of sin is
death, but new life awaits all those who believe on Christ.
Ronald Newhouse, Texas, USA
(Romans 6:23
NRSV)
A Dutch pastor and his family got into big trouble with the Nazis during the Second World War.
The family had been hiding Jews in their home to keep them safe from Hitler. One night in the
darkness, they heard the sound of heavy boots and loud, impatient knocking on their door. Their
crime had been discovered. They were arrested at gunpoint. That night they were placed in a
cattle car to be taken to one of the notorious death camps. All night long, they rode in
heartbreaking anguish, jostling against one another and the other prisoners who were jammed into
the car. They were absolutely terrified. They knew they were going to die in one of Hitler's
extermination centers.
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thanks for the LIFE you have given. Amen.
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