I am eager to preach the gospel
to you also who are in Rome. For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.” Rom. 1:15–17 (NIV)
Lord Jesus, we share Paul’s eagerness for the spread of the gospel. Yet our target audience today isn’t Rome, but our own hearts. Our comprehensive need of grace is met by your inexhaustible supply. Out of your generosity and fullness, we continue to receive “grace upon grace” (John 1:16).
Jesus, you are our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). We trust you as our substitute before we follow you as a model—for we could never earn our salvation. You fulfilled the demands of the law for us (Rom. 10:14), and now you’re fulfilling the beauty of the law in us (Rom. 8:4). That’s why we adore you, and don’t merely admire you.
Because God hid our lives in you, he cannot love us more than he does today, and he’ll never love us less (Col. 3:1-5). Your life for us is our guarantee of redemption, and your life in us is our “hope of glory” (Col. 1:27). Thank you!
And now, sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor.1:22; John 7:37-39), we know God as Abba, Father. As his cherished children, he loves us as much as he loves you (Rom. 8:15-16; Eph. 1:5; John 17:23). Nothing can separate us from the love of God (Rom. 8:38-39), and nothing will separate us from the God of love (Heb. 13:5). This generates immeasurable peace.
Indeed, Lord Jesus, these aren’t just verses and doctrines; they are our life, joy, and freedom. Because the gospel is true, we want to live and love to your glory, until the Day you return to finish making all things new. So very Amen we pray, in your merciful and mighty name.
