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 preaching of the gospel, yet our target audience isn’t Rome, but our own hearts. For we suffer from doxological dementia and gospel amnesia. We need to hear the gospel every day because we forget it every day.
Thank you for convincing us that there’s nothing more than the gospel, just more of it. Our comprehensive need of grace is met by your inexhaustible supply and glad generosity. Out of your fullness we continue to receive grace upon grace (John 1:16). Hallelujah!
Jesus, we could sooner sneeze an elephant into existence than we could save ourselves. You are our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30). We trust you as our substitute before we own you as our example. 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).
Because God has hidden our lives in yours, 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).
And now, sealed and indwelt by the Holy Spirit (2 Cor.1:22; John 7:37-39), we know God as Abba, Father. And wonder of wonders, 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 can separate us from the God of love (Heb. 13:5). Your heart is our true home, and heaven is our certain inheritance.
Lord Jesus, these aren’t just verses and doctrines, but our life and joy, peace and liberty. 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.
