July 1 - ALL IN - Sarah Diniz
“Through Him we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles … and you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.”
— Romans 1:4–6
Grace Makes Us Family — Justification Received
When Sarah reminds us that “[we] belong to Jesus Christ,” she echoes the heartbeat of the Lutheran confession: we are saved by grace alone through faith alone on account of Christ alone (Eph 2:8-9). The cross is not a cooperative venture between God and our effort; it is a completed rescue freely credited to sinners (Rom 3:23-24). Because Christ was “all in” for us—living the life we should live and dying the death we deserve—we now stand before the Father clothed in Christ’s righteousness (2 Cor 5:21). This is justification: a courtroom declaration that sinners are now saints.
Look up:
John 1:12 — we are given the right to become God’s children.
1 Peter 2:9-10 — once not a people, now God’s people.
Meditation: Pause and picture your baptism, if you’ve been baptized. If not, think to when God’s story of salvation in Jesus came to you and you believed. They’re different situations, but hear the promise, again: “You are Mine” (Isa 43:1). Let that identity settle deeper than any label the world assigns you.
Point 2: Grace Sends Us Out — Vocation Embraced
Romans 1:5 links grace with apostleship—the gift with a mission. Luther loved to say that faith is a living, busy, active thing. Justified saints are freed for their neighbors. The Spirit turns every station of life—lecture hall, break room, kitchen sink—into altars of service (Rom 12:1; Col 3:17).
Sarah’s challenge to be “all in” invites a vocational imagination:
Mind & Heart (Doctrine & Wonder): Study Scripture deeply (Acts 17:11) and let its beauty kindle holy curiosity.
Hands & Feet (Action & Experiment): Ask, “Who needs my help today?” Then risk a concrete act of mercy (Gal 5:13).
Rhythm & Reflection (Order & Improvisation): Schedule daily prayer—and leave margin for Spirit-prompted surprises (Luke 10:33).
This interplay of structure and spontaneity catches everyone and every personality, mirroring the richness of God’s diverse body.
Look up:
Gal 2:20 — “Christ lives in me.”
James 2:17 — “Faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.”
Practice: Write one ordinary task you’ll do today (wash dishes, send e-mails). Under it, jot a way that task can quietly love God and neighbor. Post it where you’ll see it.
Point 3: Grace Keeps Us Together — Community Nourished
Luther called the Church “the mouth-house of the Holy Spirit.” Through the preached Word and Sacraments, Jesus keeps pouring grace into His people (Acts 2:42). We stay “all in” not by gritting our teeth but by returning to the means of grace that strengthen faith (Heb 10:24-25).
Sarah’s words surfaced the global reach of this communion: Gentile and Jew, Brazilian and Minnesotan, freshman and retiree. The Table unites us across languages and latitudes (1 Cor 10:16-17). When we stumble, brothers and sisters announce grace; when we weary, they shoulder our burdens (Gal 6:2). The Lutheran focus on Christ for us and Christ with us guards against turning “all in” into self-reliant heroics. It is Christ’s presence—received again and again—that fuels enduring obedience.
Look up:
John 15:5 — “Apart from Me you can do nothing.”
Philippians 1:6 — “He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion.”
Community Check-In: Who in your congregation or friend circle seems isolated? Send a brief message of encouragement anchored in a verse from today’s devotional.
Closing Prayer
Gracious Father, You went all in when You sent Your Son. By Your Spirit, root us deeper in the grace that justifies, guide us into callings that bless the world, and knit us tighter to the body of Christ. Let every heartbeat, thought, and task echo with gratitude until the day we see our Redeemer face to face. In Jesus’ name. Amen.