The Normal Christian Life: A Journey Through Romans
Thursday, January 12, 2006
My Prayer Today
Heavenly Father, I thank You for the reminder from the Apostle Paul that You love me dearly. As I go about this day, keep reminding me of Your presence and love. When I stumble, remind me that you will pick me up again through Your love. When I start to be afraid, comfort me and remind me that Your perfect love casts out fear. God I thank You that I belong to You, and that as my Heavenly Father, You want what’s best for me more than I want it for myself. Fill me with Your Holy Spirit that I may live in Your love and that I may share that love through my words, actions and life with everyone who I meet today. Give me compassion for those who don’t know You, and show me how I may be light and salt for them as Jesus commands. All this I pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
God’s Word Today—Romans 1:1-7
1This letter is from Paul, Jesus Christ’s slave, chosen by God to be an apostle and sent out to preach his Good News. 2This Good News was promised long ago by God through his prophets in the holy Scriptures. 3It is the Good News about his Son, Jesus, who came as a man, born into King David’s royal family line. 4And Jesus Christ our Lord was shown to be the Son of God when God powerfully raised him from the dead by means of the Holy Spirit. 5Through Christ, God has given us the privilege and authority to tell Gentiles everywhere what God has done for them, so that they will believe and obey him, bringing glory to his name.
6You are among those who have been called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7dear friends in Rome. God loves you dearly, and he has called you to be his very own people.
May grace and peace be yours from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
Reflecting on God’s Word
The key word in today’s Scripture is “called.” The Apostle Paul reminds the Roman Christians that God has “called” them to belong to Jesus Christ and has “called” them to be His very own people. In our lives as followers of Jesus we are NOT volunteers, nor are we conscripted servants, who must do what God says. God extends a call or invitation for us to come into relationship with Him, and then waits for us to respond.
What is the significance of God “calling” rather than commanding us to follow Him?
What does it mean to you that God loves you dearly?
A Deeper Exploration of God’s Word
What does verse 6 tells us about God’s calling of folks—who is called, how many?
What does it mean to be God’s very own people?
Understanding God’s Purpose for Us
What does it say about God’s purpose for us that we are “called” by Him and dearly loved by Him?
What does it say about God’s purpose for us that we are His “very own people”?
Applying God’s Word to Our Purpose
In looking at Romans 1:6-7, what is the immediate application to your life today?
How will you live differently knowing that God loves you dearly and that you belong to Him?
Thoughts - “Dearly Loved People of God”
The Apostle Paul had never met the Christians in Rome, but he wanted them to realize that they were important not only to him, but more importantly to God. In his salutation to the Roman believers, Paul could not have made a stronger case for the place the Roman believers held in God’s love. He told them twice that they were called by God—first, called to belong to Jesus Christ, and second called to God’s “very own people.” In the Old Testament, during the life of the prophet Hosea, God told Hosea to marry a woman who was a prostitute. Hosea was to have children to his wife, and one of them was to be named, “Loammi,” which means “not my people.” What God was saying through Hosea was that the people of Israel, who were God’s chosen people were acting as if they were NOT God’s people, so for a time they would actually live that way—as rejected by God. But here in Romans 1:6-7, God tells the Roman Christians exactly the opposite through Paul’s words. These Romans, most of whom were Gentiles by birth had been called, chosen, selected to be God’s very own people. God’s love is so great toward all people that He calls us and loves us dearly. We need to remember that, because the world is constantly telling us the opposite. Advertisers hammer away at us all day long telling us that we’re lacking something—the right car, the right deodorant, the right beer, the right……. whatever! If we just had that right thing, whatever it is then we would be complete! The reality is that we lack NOTHING if we have a relationship with the living God of the universe through Jesus Christ. We have been called just as surely as the Romans were called to be dearly loved people of God. Let’s lived that way today! Let’s not let the world fill us with lies about what we lack, but let’s lives as children of the King of kings and Lord of lords. Knowing whose we are goes a long way to showing us who we are, and to empowering us to live victorious lives in Him! May we live the love that we have received in powerful ways today, that others may also know the greatness of love and God in their lives!
This Week’s Memory Verse:
They will believe and obey Him, bringing glory to His name. Romans 1:5b