Death to Life

Reading through Lamentations 1 (Friday) really makes real the first part of Romans 6:23 that the wages of sin are death. Through the chapter, we see the consequences for sin for Jerusalem being its miserable, captive state. It's been on my heart recently that unless we realize where we would be if without the cross, we would not be able to fully appreciate Christ's sacrifice (as Pastor Victor spoke about during retreat about the widow who felt greater indebted and thus was able to love greater. Even though the chapter itself is sad and somber, we can again take hope in Romans 6:23 that now the gift of God is eternal life, such that despite our sins and shortcomings, we may have life!