Category Archives: Romans

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord. So you see how it is: In my mind I really want to obey God’s law, but because of my sinful nature I am a slave to sin. So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit.
Romans 7:21-8:4

Dear God, this is yet another passage where the chapter and verse breaks do us a disservice. Paul wrote Romans 7:25 and 8:1 as one thought. He was a slave to sin and you sent Jesus, so now there is no more condemnation for anyone who belongs to Jesus. That’s condemnation from you, but it’s also self-condemnation. It’s shame. It’s guilt.

This is what the person who pursues morality apart from you misses. They miss that none of us are good. They miss that they cannot be the moral person they strive to be. Then, when they inevitably fail to love up to the standard they themselves have set they sometimes throw in the towel in despair. Shame takes over. Hiding. Guilt. Then depression can follow that.

Father, first, thank you for giving me a path out of the holes I put myself in. Thank you for forgiving me while still calling me to press on towards you and the man you have me to be. Help me to know how to offer this to others. Give me the words, the courage to say the words, and the mercy to live the words out towards others.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Don’t just pretend to love others. Really love them. Hate what is wrong. Hold tightly to what is good. Love each other with genuine affection, and take delight in honoring each other.

Dear God, as someone who does fundraising for a nonprofit, this is an issue I remember facing early on—the difference between genuinely loving someone as opposed to trying to manipulate them to give our organization money. I had to approach this in such a way that I had to care about the people donating to our nonprofit or I would feel like a salesman only interested in closing the deal.

I still remember the book Dale Barron, the resource development director at the World Hunger Relief Farm, loaned me. It is called Growing Givers’ Hearts: Treating Fundraising as a Ministry. It helped me to see the donors as people to be loved as opposed to people who could give me money. Instead of them having something I wanted, it became a challenge to figure out a way to make sure they received more than they gave through the process.

There are others I’m supposed to love too. It starts with my wife. Okay, I’m wrong. It starts with you. I’m supposed to genuinely love you, Father. I’m supposed to love you with all of my mind, soul, and strength. Do I? Is my love for you genuine? The honest answer is, “Sometimes.” Sometimes I really love you. Sometimes I don’t love you like I should.

Father, help me to love you like I should. Help me to love others like I should. Let it start with you and then flow to my wife and children. Then let it flow to relatives and friends. Then let it flow to donors, clients, and strangers. Then to my community, state, nation and world. Put the things on my heart that you want me to respond to. Show me the human need you want me to care about, and then give me the passion and vision to pursue it with complete faith in your provision. Do it all for your glory, oh, Lord!

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

In the same way, some think one day is more holy than another day, while others think every day is alike. You should each be fully convinced that whichever day you choose is acceptable. Those who worship the Lord on a special day do it to honor him. Those who eat any kind of food do so to honor the Lord, since they give thanks to God before eating. And those who refuse to eat certain foods also want to please the Lord and give thanks to God. For we don’t live for ourselves or die for ourselves. If we live, it’s to honor the Lord. And if we die, it’s to honor the Lord. So whether we live or die, we belong to the Lord. Christ died and rose again for this very purpose—to be Lord both of the living and of the dead. So why do you condemn another believer? Why do you look down on another believer? Remember, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For the Scriptures say, “‘As surely as I live,’ says the Lord, ‘every knee will bend to me, and every tongue will declare allegiance to God. ’” Yes, each of us will give a personal account to God. So let’s stop condemning each other. Decide instead to live in such a way that you will not cause another believer to stumble and fall.
Romans 14:5-13

Dear God, but it’s so much more fun to judge other people. It’s so much more fun to get caught up in the minutia of I’m right and you’re wrong. I want to find little hills I can die on so I can feel superior to other people.

Okay, obviously, I’m being sarcastic, but am I really? I mean, I can have a tendency to do all of the things Paul is describing here–and more! I can judge other Christians by how they spend their money, how they dress, how they present themselves in public, how they raise their children, how they treat their spouse, how they worship you…the list can go on an on. And why do I do it? Why do I look at speck in their eye while ignoring the log in my own? All I can say is that I’m obviously an insecure mess, and I need your mercy.

Father, help me to focus more on the mercy I need from you than the mercy others need from you. And please forgive me. I’m so much less than I want to be. I’m not the worshipper, the giver, the worker, the father, the husband, the brother, the son, the friend, the citizen I need to be. I’m sorry. Thank you for loving me anyway.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. So God abandoned them to do whatever shameful things their hearts desired. As a result, they did vile and degrading things with each other’s bodies. They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! Amen.
Romans 1:21-25

Dear God, an astute reader of scripture would note that I cut this passage off right before Paul started getting into specific sins, including homosexuality. I did that intentionally. I wanted to talk to you this morning more about the idea of worshipping the creation instead of the Creator. Why is it so hard for us to worship you? To quote Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing: “Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it. Prone to leave the God I love.”

Just off of the top of my head, and without pondering it too much, I think there are maybe two main things at play. The first is that Satan actively tempts us to drift from you. Even his temptations for Jesus, whether spoken in the wilderness or through Peter were about Jesus inserting his own will over yours. And isn’t that what he does to me too? He tells me I deserve better than I have. He tells me I need to protect myself at the expense of truth. He tells me I should be afraid of any number of things–immigrants, the government, my neighbors, my family. The fallacy in every lie is that they are all predicated on the false assumption that my life is my own. That I have a right to safety, money, power, comfort, etc. It’s not about me. It’s about you.

The second is the very desire that Satan plays off of doesn’t need Satan’s encouragement. I am selfish enough all on my own. And while I don’t build idols to which I pray, I certainly have things in my life in which I put my feelings of safety and security. I put my faith in my job and bank account. I put my faith in my government’s power in the world. I put my faith in the safety of my neighborhood/town. I put my faith in my health. My sense of certainty is based in all of these things, and in the midst of it all I lose the rest in you that only your Holy Spirit can offer.

Father, I give this day to you. I give my worship to you. I give my wants to you. Help me to live my life for you. Give me ears to hear and eyes to see what you need me to do in any given circumstance. And do it all for your glory and not mine.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Everyone must submit to governing authorities. For all authority comes from God, and those in positions of authority have been placed there by God. So anyone who rebels against authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and they will be punished. For the authorities do not strike fear in people who are doing right, but in those who are doing wrong. Would you like to live without fear of the authorities? Do what is right, and they will honor you. The authorities are God’s servants, sent for your good. But if you are doing wrong, of course you should be afraid, for they have the power to punish you. They are God’s servants, sent for the very purpose of punishing those who do what is wrong. So you must submit to them, not only to avoid punishment, but also to keep a clear conscience. Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.
Romans 13:1-7

Dear God, I’ll confess that this has always been a passage I’d rather skip. First, as a general principle, I’m fine with it, but when I think about the man who wrote it, the government under which he lived and the circumstances through which he lived (and died) through the last part of his life, I have to wonder if it should be read with more nuance and not just taken at face value. Then there is the reality that a lot of the world lives under despotic governments. How does the North Korean or Iranian Christian respond to this passage?

As I think about the weaknesses of being a Christian in a more modern society like ours or the Europeans, one thing I note is that life can be deceptively comfortable. A little like the frog slowly boiling in the water. When life is too easy and conflict-free, we get lazy. Then we stop hindering for you and depending on you. We make idols of the society we built instead of worshiping you. Even me over the last few days. I’ve taken moments here and there to pray for individuals in need of your comfort and healing, but I haven’t hungered for you.

Then there are the things that are corroding our society from within. The first among them is social media. But other forms of entertainment are doing it as well. Yes, we are corroding from within.

Father, I suppose at the end of the day respecting our government is our default position, but it shouldn’t be replaced by pursuing you. Worshiping you. Sacrificing our lives to you. Help me to do that today. For your glory’s sake, and for the sakes of those around me who need you.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard. Yet God, in his grace, freely makes us right in his sight. He did this through Christ Jesus when he freed us from the penalty for our sins.
Romans 3:23-24

Dear God, this is a passage (well, the first sentence is) that my new youth minister memorize when I first became a discipling Christian in 1987. He had us memorize Romans 3:23, 6:23, and 10:9-10.

I was talking with a young man today about what you and I have been talking about lately in terms of my evangelism, or lack thereof. I told him that one thing we need to figure out is what we are selling when we share our faith. Are we selling heaven? Are we selling relationship with you? The fruits of the Spirit? And how do I package all of that into a nice, neat little bundle that will draw someone into an authentic relationship with you?

I guess it starts with the idea that we are all equal, regardless of gender, race, wealth, or social/political standing. We are all sinful. We have all fallen short of your glory. While we see each other as different, I’m sure we would be surprised to see how much you see us all as pretty much the same. From the very genuinely good pastor who lives completely for you to the murderer on death row—on a scale of 1-10, one might be a 1 and the other a 1.5. But I suppose this isn’t about a rating system. It’s simply pass/fail and we all fail.

Father, thank you for sending Jesus and freeing me from the penalty of my sin. Thank you for not seeing me differently than you see anyone else. Thank you for that equality. It takes achievement in man’s eyes off of the table and puts living in worship of you in perspective. So help me to take my eyes off of me, off of my priorities and idea, and put them solely on you and hearing your voice. Let your kingdom come and your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

When we were utterly helpless, Christ came at just the right time and died for us sinners. Now, most people would not be willing to die for an upright person, though someone might perhaps be willing to die for a person who is especially good. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. And since we have been made right in God’s sight by the blood of Christ, he will certainly save us from God’s condemnation. For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of his Son while we were still his enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of his Son. So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God.
Romans 5:6-11

Dear God, all of this is a wondrous mystery to me that simply requires my faith. I say that it requires my faith because there are any number of explanations for the existence of the universe, and whether people like it or not they all require some amount of faith. An atheist’s beliefs require as much faith as do mine. But there is too much evidence as I look at it to suggest that you don’t exist. Of course there is a being out there that is bigger than I can know, understand, or even comprehend. From there it becomes about relationship and interaction with that being. Jesus is my pathway to you for all of the reasons Paul mentioned above.

Am I wrong about some things in my theology? Sure. How could I not be? There is no way I can completely know you, your nature, etc. But I can use the basics of my faith to grow into. Being just a little more like Jesus, and hence a little more like you. And the closer I get to dying to myself completely the more I experience the fruits of the Spirit while I am alive. And after I die, worst-case scenario is that I’m simply gone. Best-case scenario is I’m in your eternal realm, worshipping you with the angels and the Saints.

Father, thank you for Jesus’s life, and for your revelations to the apostles and to Paul. Thank you for giving me a path to you. Thank you for taking me as I am and then transforming me into something that is more than the pile of flesh that was born into this world. Use me today. I offer my life to you as my offering of thanks, but also because I know that offering it to you will bring me to something even better both here on earth and beyond this life.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Owe nothing to anyone—except for your obligation to love one another. If you love your neighbor, you will fulfill the requirements of God’s law. For the commandments say, “You must not commit adultery. You must not murder. You must not steal. You must not covet.” These—and other such commandments—are summed up in this one commandment: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living. Because we belong to the day, we must live decent lives for all to see. Don’t participate in the darkness of wild parties and drunkenness, or in sexual promiscuity and immoral living, or in quarreling and jealousy. Instead, clothe yourself with the presence of the Lord Jesus Christ. And don’t let yourself think about ways to indulge your evil desires.

Romans 13:8-14

Dear God, I am struck by the line in here, “Love does no wrong to others…” That seems very definitive, and I don’t think it’s exactly accurate. For example, I can think of a lot of mistakes I did with raising my children, and I never did them because I didn’t love them. Nearly all of them were done because I thought I was doing the right thing for them. And then there were times when I was actually doing the right thing, but they didn’t perceive it as the right thing. So this doesn’t feel quite accurate.

I was talking with someone a couple of months ago who is in their 50s, and they were referencing a decision their parents made when the person was in their early 20s. They were still holding on to a grudge over it. This friend has told me this story before, and I’ve told them, “Be frustrated with the decision, but don’t ascribe malice to it. The parents thought they were making the right decision. They thought they were doing the merciful thing.

I was talking with a young woman last night, and we were talking about having mercy for your parents. She is still in high school and, like any high schooler, is sorting through dealing with parents who are flawed–because we are all flawed and we all have flawed parents. I hope I was able to at least plant some seeds of mercy.

Father, make me the example you need me to be today. I just heard about a woman who left her husband because of his alcoholism. She did this for her own sanity, but she also did it for him. She loves him and doesn’t feel like she can enable him anymore. He didn’t see the fact that she filed for divorce as love, but in some ways it is. Be in that situation. Be with the young woman I spoke with last night. Be with the parents of the other person I mentioned. Be with me, a flawed parent in need of mercy from my children and a son who needs to extend mercy to his parents. Be with me, a flawed husband and me a man who needs to extend mercy to his wife. Be with me, a flawed supervisor who needs mercy from my staff and me the flawed subordinate to our board of directors who needs to also extend mercy to them. I am sorry for how I fail you. Sometimes I did it out of love for you and I got ahead of myself and sometimes I did it out of selfishness and vanity. I am sorry. Help me to accept your forgiveness and to forgive myself.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

What shall we say about such wonderful things as these? If God is for us, who can ever be against us? Since he did not spare even his own Son but gave him up for us all, won’t he also give us everything else? Who dares accuse us whom God has chosen for his own? No one—for God himself has given us right standing with himself. Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Romans 8:31-34

Dear God, I know I’ve prayed about this before, but this passage reminds me of the idea that we are at our worst as individual Christians or as the church when we are fighting for our own rights, but we are at our best when we are fighting for the rights of others. There are a lot of American Christians feeling like they are currently being persecuted, and have decided to fight for their rights and for top-down influence over society. It’s an ugly look because we are supposed to be able to rest in the peace that we are loved by you, and then we have the opportunity to spread that love to others by loving them as ourselves.

I could go on an on about how the church as a whole should do this for social justice issues, but I wonder what more I should be doing. I think the first thing is relationship. I need to be more purposeful about building relationships with those who are on the other side of the social justice scale than I am. That will be the first step.

Father, in the midst of a lot of strife right now, give me the courage to know what to do, how to help, and how to give.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen

Pay your taxes, too, for these same reasons. For government workers need to be paid. They are serving God in what they do. Give to everyone what you owe them: Pay your taxes and government fees to those who collect them, and give respect and honor to those who are in authority.

Romans 13:6-7

Dear God, it’s just so much easier in life if you just pay people what they are owed–and even err in their favor when there’s a questions. As a manager, I could quickly build a culture of distrust if I operated in a way that tried to keep every penny away from staff that I could. I’ve worked for people like that before, and they completely lost my trust and loyalty. I think they even lost a little of my work ethic. There was one job that I would actually go to the bathroom before I left for lunch because I was going to go on the company’s time as opposed to my time. That’ll teach them! (I know that’s pitiful, but it’s true.)

The same goes with taxes. If the IRS contacted me tomorrow and told me an audit is coming my way, I would be at total peace because I know my wife and I have not shorted them in any way. If anything, they might find that we didn’t take advantage of enough breaks and we could have paid less in taxes. There is a joy in generosity, and I think it starts with tithing. If I can learn to give away part of my money and resources to the needy then I find I’m much less likely to hold onto it when it comes to my business dealings with others.

Case in point, I had a family who was looking for a wheelchair for their father. Our nonprofit has wheelchairs that people donate and then we, in turn, give away indiscriminately. The man came by to pick up the wheelchair I set aside for them and he was so grateful that he left a donation. The donation was not necessary, but our generosity of spirit inspired his generosity.

Father, I’m still not where you want me to be on the spectrum between selfishness and selflessness, but I feel like I’m at least making progress. Help me to continue down this path until I am truly willing to look beyond my own wants and needs and see what you’re calling me to share in any given situation.

In Jesus’s name I pray,

Amen