Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. Because of what law? The law that requires works? No, because of the law that requires faith. – Romans 3:27

This morning – Tuesday – I am teaching from Romans 3. Actually, what I’m really doing is leading a conversation around the topic of God’s faithfulness, using some of the Romans text.

As I prepare I am very much aware of God’s heart and God’s tenderness as a being who cares so deeply for us. I am not sure that any child can ever completely understand the aching tears that are shed by their parents on their behalf.

So when I consider the deep faithfulness of God I feel the truth of that in my own heart. They say that love makes the world go round but it is also true that it can bring most everyone to their knees.

God loves us that way and more, and here we have God using the law not as a bludgeon but as a parameter, as an ocean of divine purpose where we can learn at least to stay afloat.

When I was fourteen and still could not swim I would thrash around in the water trying to keep my head above the surface but the more I struggled the faster I went under. Eventually I had to essentially surrender in order to learn how to move in that environment, and to trust – to have faith – and when I did I discovered that swimming was essentially effortless. The law of floating and swimming was designed to keep me from drowning, but what was really required was faith to navigate. Once I learned to trust in faith I found the freedom to also follow – or, rather, submit to – the law in my own actions.

This is what I tried to put across in Bible-study, with the group of men who braved the sub-freezing temperatures to gather together and encourage one-another as Followers of the Way.

God’s invitation is for all of us to stop sitting on the edges, dangling our toes in the the water, and to jump in. “Won’t you come on in? The water is lovely.” – DEREK

The law of floating and swimming is designed to keep us from drowning, but what is really required is faith to navigate.