Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
Romans 5:5 NKJV
I didn’t realize how much Paul wrote about hope in Christ until I began this week’s study. He was quite the encourager. He was also candid and stern when necessary.
Through Paul’s letters, God not only reveals the truths of the New Covenant, but He also demonstrates how to be a true Christ-follower by revealing Paul’s heart and character.
- He has a deep love and commitment to other followers.
- He trusts God completely for all of His needs.
- He shares the gospel with everyone he meets.
- He speaks the truth without sugar-coating it.
- Everything he does and says is for the glory of God.
This could be its own study, and I’m sure someone has done it already. It just came to me this morning, otherwise, I would have backed it up with Scripture. The Bible is the living, breathing word of God. We’re to glean information from it, look to it for answers, and see ourselves represented in there and how we are to act and interact with others.
Today’s Bible verse shows us just how much God loves us. He is constantly “pouring out” His love. I feel disgraced that I’m not pouring out my love for Abba every moment of every day.
Commentary
David Guzik of Enduring Word wrote:
a. Now hope does not disappoint: The hope that tribulation builds in us is not a hope that will be disappointed. We are assured of this because God has proved His intention to complete His work in us – the proof being the love of God… poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.
b. The love of God… poured out in our hearts: Every Christian should have some experience of this, to have a deep inner awareness of God’s love for us.
i. The Apostle Paul’s logical arguments in Romans are devastating but the Book of Romans doesn’t lack emotion or passionate experiences with God. Paul wants us to think the right thoughts about God, but he also wants us to have the right experience with God – the love of God… poured out in our hearts.
ii. God’s love isn’t given to us in a trickle, it is poured out in our hearts. Some Christians live as if it was only a trickle but God wants us to know the outpouring of His love.
c. The Holy Spirit who was given to us: This is how God’s love is communicated – through the Holy Spirit. A lack of awareness of God’s love can often be credited to a failure to be constantly filled with the Holy Spirit and to walk in the Spirit.
i. “The love of God is like light to a blind eye until the Holy Ghost opens that eye… may the Holy Spirit now be here in each one of us, to shed abroad the love of God in our hearts.” (Spurgeon)
ii. Everyone who is a Christian has the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:9). But not every Christian lives in the fullness of the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 5:18), and not every Christian walks in the Spirit (Romans 8:4-5).
Prayer
Father, words cannot express how much I love You. Please guide me and order my steps so that I may be more Christlike, and that I may share my passion for You as Paul did. Lord, I praise You and thank You for Your love and grace. In Jesus’ precious name, I pray. Amen.
