Category: Romans

Romans 5:9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him!  

Today’s verses remind me of the story of the prodigal son. The younger brother, the prodigal, collected his inheritance and left, living it up on his own. He hit hard times, humbled himself, and returned home, determined to be content with being treated as his father’s servant. His father welcomed him, celebrated him, and the older brother, who had stayed home, had continued working diligently for the father, was angry that he had never been celebrated, even though he stayed.

Romans 5:10a For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, 

Luke 15:31 says, “My son,’ the father said, ‘you are always with me, and everything I have is yours.” The older brother had never lost access to the father, had never known the want and the lack that came from a severed connection. He had always lived in the father’s love and blessing. That, to me, is the root of this message in Romans: We were saved “while we were God’s enemies…how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!”

Romans 5:10b …how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!

Precious Savior, Thank You for this connection to You. Forgive me when I whine and complain. Help me to root out that obnoxious trait. Help me to daily live the truth of the fact that I am always with You and everything You have is mine. Thank You for that undeserved blessing. Help me to live as the deeply loved child of God that I am. Amen.

Romans 5:11 Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 5:5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.

As I was reading today’s verses, I thought, hope is what makes miracles possible. Christ’s hope is why I can cling to Isaiah 43:19 (God is making a way in the wilderness), even when I can see no way in my wilderness. Christ isn’t limited to my earthly perspective.

Romans 5:6 You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly.

But just as Christ isn’t limited to my idea of what’s possible in a situation, He’s also not limited to my idea of what’s right, what’s best. So clinging to the idea that hope does not put us to shame is important when things don’t go the way we plan. God’s still making a way. His ways are nothing like our ways. His thoughts are beyond anything we can imagine.

Romans 5:7 Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die.

Precious Savior, Thank You for the miracle of hope, that Your thoughts are beyond our imaginings, that we can trust You, even when we see no possible way. Help us to hold on to hope, hold on to You, always. Amen.

Romans 5:8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 5:1 Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 

Today I want to focus on verse 3 because it is so very hard for me, for many of us. “Glory in our sufferings”? I cannot, will not rejoice proudly in my sufferings, but I will rejoice in the fact that God can speak to my heart during life’s trials in a way that He cannot in the good times.

Romans 5:2 …through whom we have gained access by faith into this grace in which we now stand. And we boast in the hope of the glory of God.  

But here’s the thing, and it’s a lesson we all have to learn for ourselves, and it is a very painful lesson: God doesn’t always make everything ok on this side of the veil. He doesn’t always bring earthly healing or answers. But He is always with us. Always. He walks with us through the tough times, carrying us when we can no longer stand. He wipes our tears, walks beside us. Life can be hard. That’s just the nature of life on earth. But He never leaves us to do it alone.

Romans 5:3 Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 

Precious Savior, Thank You for understanding the pain and loss of this world. Thank You for walking with me, even when there are no words to be said. I just cannot rejoice in suffering, but I rejoice in this closeness that comes from walking with You through those valleys. Thank You. Amen.

Romans 5:4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:20a On the contrary: “If your enemy is hungry, feed him;

Today’s verses have me thinking about the word enemy. Google defines an enemy as “a person who is actively opposed or hostile to someone or something.” Does it make someone my enemy just because they have been mean to me? Does it make them my enemy if they have been mean to someone I love?

Romans 12:20b …if he is thirsty, give him something to drink.

And what about those people who are truly, truly vile–denying others basic human rights, killing them? Am I supposed to “kill them with kindness,” too? Jesus says yes. That’s a hard one for me. Being kind to someone who is not kind. I can do it. I have done it. And it *is* better than the alternative–being mean and spiteful and bitter. Those emotions leech into my soul, and Jesus doesn’t want that for me.

Romans 12:20c …In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head.”

Precious Savior, Thank You that You do not want me to give in to anger, bitterness, and spite. Thank You that You call me to a higher way and for giving me plentiful examples, like praying for those who persecute You, even as You were taking Your last breath. Help me, Jesus, to love like You love. Help me not to be mean and petty in return for others’ meanness and pettiness. Help me. Amen.

Romans 12:21 Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:17 Do not repay anyone evil for evil. Be careful to do what is right in the eyes of everyone.  

A lot of the advice in these verses feels impossible: Do what is right in the eyes of everyone? Impossible. Live in peace with everyone? Unfeasible. Not only that, but I feel like if you try to please everyone, you are only setting yourself up for failure.

Romans 12:18 If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone. 

God doesn’t want to set us up for failure, so what is the intent of these verses? I think it is to help us focus on the best of what’s possible. We will never do what’s right in the eyes of everyone, but if we live life with that intent–doing what’s right, always–much good will come from that. If we try to sew peace instead of discord on a daily basis, much good will come from that, too.

Romans 12:19a Do not take revenge, my dear friends, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written: 

Precious Savior, Sometimes I feel mean and small and contentious. I don’t like that side of myself. Help me to adjust my attitude to try to live in peace with everyone (as far as it depends on me). Help me to do what’s right in Your eyes. Help me to live for You and not myself. Amen.

Romans 12:19b …“It is mine to avenge; I will repay,” says the Lord.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:15 Rejoice with those who rejoice; mourn with those who mourn.  

Once again the advice in this section of Romans seems fairly simple and straightforward but not necessarily easy. Rejoicing sometimes comes with a tinge of jealousy. Mourning often comes with the expectation of an expiration date. Harmony happens as long as things are going my way. Pride and conceit end up creeping in.

Romans 12:16a Live in harmony with one another.

I’m not sure we are meant to master these things on earth. I’m not sure–as fallible human beings–that we are capable of mastering them. We need Jesus. Desperately. And our fallibility is made to keep us coming back to the foot of His cross again and again and again. We cannot do this life without His help. We weren’t created that way.

Romans 12:16b Do not be proud, but be willing to associate with people of low position. 

Precious Savior, Thank You that I cannot do this life alone, that I need You–every hour of every day, that I can get a little better each day if I try and if I stay focused on You, that You love me fiercely, even in my failures. Help me to draw closer to You each day, to become more like You each day. Help me to keep trying. Amen.

Romans 12:16c Do not be conceited.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:13a Share with the Lord’s people who are in need.

Romans 13 is a pretty easy verse to follow. Share with those in need. Practice hospitality. I can do those things. No sweat. But verse 14 proves way more difficult.

Romans 12:13b Practice hospitality.

Bless those who persecute you.—I’m sorry. What?!?—Bless and do not curse. That one is definitely more difficult. My default for those who persecute me is not blessing. Though Jesus showed me a model of it as He prayed, “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do,” as the soldiers were crucifying Him.

Romans 12:14a Bless those who persecute you;

Precious Savior, Thank You for understanding that if we curse those who persecute us, we will be chained to anger and bitterness. Thank You for providing us with the ultimate example of “Bless those who persecute you” as You breathed Your last on the cross. Give us the strength to love like You. Amen.

Romans 12:14b …bless and do not curse.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:11 Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord.  

My preacher likes to say, “It will all be ok in the end. If it’s not ok, it’s not the end.” That, to me, is similar to the idea of being joyful in hope–being joyful in the hope that the sun will shine again…eventually, being joyful in the hope that even if things royally stink, God’s still got you, He’ll never leave you, and He is already eternally victorious.

Romans 12:12a Be joyful in hope, 

The second part of this verse, patient in affliction, is harder for me. I want to understand things–Why did this happen? Why didn’t this other thing happen? Why did God act or not act or what in the world am I supposed to learn from this terrible experience? But God doesn’t promise answers, He promises His eternal presence, that He will never leave us nor forsake us. Never. So even when we are slogging through the muck of life and don’t understand any of it, He’s still with us. He’s still eternally victorious.

Romans 12:12b …patient in affliction, 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the reminders in Romans 12:12 to be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer. Thank You that You are with us, even when everything feels wrong, even when we don’t understand, even when we are utterly broken. Thank You for Your promises and the reality that You are already eternally victorious. Help us to cling to You. Always. Amen.

Romans 12:12c …faithful in prayer.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:9a Love must be sincere.    

These two verses, four sentences, are so simple yet so profound. Love sincerely, not focused on what’s in it for you. Hate evil, cling to good. Be devoted to one another in love. Honor others before yourself. Simple, but not easy.

Romans 12:9b Hate what is evil; cling to what is good. 

Vocabulary.com defines devoted as meaning, “being focused on that particular thing almost exclusively.” So not only are we to be focused on others almost exclusively, we are to be focused on them in love. How different would the world be if we all took that philosophy to heart?

Romans 12:10a Be devoted to one another in love. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for spelling things out so simply in Your word: Love You. Love others. Be sincere. Be devoted to one another in love. Hate evil. Cling to good. Honor others above ourselves. Forgive us, Lord, that we struggle with such simple, basic directives. Help us to be more like You. Amen.

Romans 12:10b Honor one another above yourselves.

Have a blessed day.

Romans 12:3a For by the grace given me I say to every one of you: Do not think of yourself more highly than you ought,  

The analogy in these verses is an interesting one: “…so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.” I totally understand liking some parts of my body (my eyes, for instance) better than others (my flabby arms). However, even the parts of my body that perform inelegant functions (I’m looking at you bladder and bowel) are crucial for a thriving life.

Romans 12:3b …but rather think of yourself with sober judgment, in accordance with the faith God has distributed to each of you.

In life it is really easy (for me at least) to make snap judgments about people and situations. But just like the body with all its complexity–even the inelegant parts–we are all God’s children. We belong to each other. We need each other to function well, as God intended.

Romans 12:4 For just as each of us has one body with many members, and these members do not all have the same function, 

Precious Savior, Thank You for this reminder that we are parts of a whole in the body of Christ. Thank You for the reminder that we belong to each other. Help us to see as You see, to love as You love….even the inelegant parts. Amen.

Romans 12:5 …so in Christ we, though many, form one body, and each member belongs to all the others.

Have a blessed day.