Romans 11:30-36

Romans 11:30-36
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  Throughout Romans, Paul is expanding on a theme -- God's mercy is a free gift from above that we do not deserve, due to our sinful nature, but that Christ gives himself for us so that God might forgive us.  Paul emphasizes the separation between us and God, but then he reminds us how much God has done to close that God.  Paul is trying to remind us to be grateful for all that God has done, and to respond by living a life that pleases and honors God.  Paul doesn't want us to get caught up thinking we deserve this or that, but rather to live out of gratitude, focused on what God has done rather than ourselves.

Romans 11:25-29

Romans 11:25-29
Contemporary English Version (CEV) 

 God doesn't take back.  God doesn't forget.
  When it comes to all the questions we have, let us trust God.  God is good.  Paul is reminding the Romans that God is wiser and more generous than we are.  We don't have the answers, but God will sort things out, and God will do so in a way that is kinder and gentler than the way we, in all our wisdom, would figure it out.
  The people in Rome had a lot of questions.
  We have a lot of questions.
  May we trust in God to sort things out for the best.

Romans 11:17-24

Romans 11:17-24
Contemporary English Version (CEV)

  In the beginning, we're often grateful for something we receive, but after a while we start to view it as an entitlement, as though we did something to deserve it, because we've forgotten that it was a free gift.  We simply get used to the way things are and forget the way they were.
  Let us remember, then, with humility, that grace is a gift, given freely by God.  We did not earn it, and we are no better than others.  We have received the gift, but our job is not to reward ourselves for the way we have been given it -- rather, we are charged to go and tell the good news about how God saves, about how God gives grace regardless of merit, about how God has reached out, reached down to us.  God loves freely and unconditionally, and we were not worthy, but have been saved by the love and mercy of God.

Romans 11:11-16

Romans 11:11-16
English Standard Version (ESV)

  In our ordinary thinking, we get accustomed to the idea that only one can succeed.  For someone to win a race, someone else has to lose.  For me to be successful, there is another that must fail.  There is room for only one at the top, right?
  Here, Paul is telling us that Israel stumbled so that the Gentiles can be welcomed into the riches of God.  Their failure to grasp the full riches and wonder of God opened a door so that others could be welcomed into the Kingdom.
  But Paul twists things a bit...  Paul tells us while it is good that the Gentiles have been welcomed in, but it will be even better if the Jews are welcomed into the Kingdom as well.  There is plenty of room for all!  All are welcome into the Kingdom, and it will be even more joyful if all receive the grace of God!
  Let us not shrink our minds and think that the Kingdom and grace are small things for a few --- may we rather rejoice in the abundance of God and give thanks that all are welcome at the banquet table of God!

Romans 11:7-10

Romans 11:7-10
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I'll freely admit it -- I don't understand this.  I don't understand why God would give anyone eyes not to see grace, ears not to hear the Gospel.  It doesn't make sense.
  I understand how some people would trip up on the stumbling blocks, unwilling to accept the fact that they cannot earn the grace of God, unable to shift their minds to the point that God's grace is unattainable except as a gift, unreachable no matter how much merit they may believe themselves to have.  That makes sense, because I understand pride well.
  But I can't quite understand why God would make anyone unable or unwilling to hear the Gospel.  It's the same reason I struggle to understand why God hardened Pharaoh's heart -- I understand the greater message, but wrestle with the implications for that particular individual.
  I don't understand the Gospel, but I trust the God who stands behind it, and so I approach the Gospel with humility, hoping to one day see this clearly.

Romans 11:1-6

Romans 11:1-6
English Standard Version (ESV)

  By grace, Paul reminds us, by grace.
  Let it be a continual reminder to us all, that God works by grace.  You have been chosen and blessed by God not because of what you have done or what you will do, but because God is loving and kind and willing to pour out his mercy.  You are loved unconditionally, and nothing in your life, good or evil, will prevent God from loving you.
  So whatever questions we have for God, let us never doubt his love or his grace.  I have plenty of things I do not understand, but although I do not see clearly how God is at work, I do not doubt that his actions are rooted in his grace and love.

Romans 10:14-21

Romans 10:14-21
Common English Bible (CEB)

  How do people hear about the Gospel?
  God uses us.  Ordinary people like you and I are the tools by which God spreads the Gospel throughout the land, using our voices, powered by the Holy Spirit, using our hands, guided by his grace.  God uses our lives to share the Good News of Jesus Christ, so that others may come to know that Christ the Lord is King and Savior.
  We are his to use.  Let us live our lives faithfully, that God may use us to proclaim his Gospel.

Romans 10:5-13

Romans 10:5-13
Common English Bible (CEB)

  It's easy to divide ourselves up -- we place people we like in one category, then people like us are pretty close to that, and down the ranks we go.  We do this inside the church and outside the church, classifying people and dividing them up into neat and tidy categories.
  In Christ, though, there is no distinction, no difference, no separation.  We are all equal.  We are equally doomed because of sin, and equally saved by grace through faith.  We profess our desperate need for salvation from Christ, and we are liberated from sin into one big category, the saved.  What we do on this earth cannot change the fact that we belong to this one group, those saved by the mercy of God.
  So let us not dare to look down on anyone.  We were saved by a gift from God - let us live with proper humility.

A Prayer for Friday

Lord,
  As I fill my day,
  May I recognize the most important things.
  May I place you first, basing everything else around my relationship with you.
  That your love may lead me
  That your Spirit may fill me
  That your grace may uphold me
  That your wisdom may guide my thoughts, my words, my heart.
  May I be led deeper into life.
  Trusting you every step of the way.

Amen

Romans 10:1-4

Romans 10:1-4
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Ignorance is tough.  We see it easily in the world around us, lamenting the ignorance of individuals or crowds or groups.  It's easy to find and demean.
  It's pretty tough to notice in ourselves.  We cling to the view that we're too smart to fall for such traps, that we would never do such a thing... but remember, everyone we're labeling as ignorant is often thinking the same thing about themselves.
  Following Christ requires a great deal of humility.  We have to be willing to see ourselves as broken, as fallen, as sinful.  Only when we see ourselves this way do we begin to recognize how deeply we need a Savior and how grateful we should be to have Christ love us the way he loves.

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept 17

Holy God,
  This day, grant me the strength to stand up straight, that I might live out the convictions I so eagerly pronounce on Sunday mornings.  Give me the courage to remember what it is this life is meant to be about, so that I might walk a faithful walk with you.  May I not slink into old habits and simply continue giving you Sunday alone, but may I strive to serve you in all I do this moment, this day, forever.

Amen

Romans 9:30-33

Romans 9:30-33
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's so immensely complicated and yet so straightforward for us to attain righteousness.
  We want to earn it -- it's in our DNA, and we are wired to achieve, to earn, to make for ourselves.  We figure it we can just try hard enough, we can make it.
  But God has to give it.  We cannot overcome the effects of sin on our own - it requires a Savior who can pay the price, and only a Savior who has lived a perfect life can do so.  Christ is the atonement for our sin, offering us peace with God, giving us his righteousness, so that we might live in peace with God.
  It's a gift from God for us to receive, not earn.  May we do so with open hands and grateful hearts.

A Prayer for Wed, Sept 16

Good morning, Lord,
  A blank slate lies before me.  Each previous day, you have colored with astounding wonder, beauty unimaginable, and grace that unfolds anew.  I have noticed some of it, often paying far more attention to the mess humans are making of your creation through our broken hearts and broken relationships.  As the sun peaks over the horizon, you color the world anew, and there is much to be grateful for.  You have given life once more.
  May I be amazed at your wonder today, O Lord, and may I give thanks for your love and for this life.

Amen

Romans 9:19-29

Romans 9:19-29
English Standard Version (ESV)

  God is mercy and love.
  To believe otherwise is to convince ourselves that we are better than we are.  It's not a hard thing to do, especially when we can look around and find plenty of evidence that we aren't actually terrible people and are quite capable of committing good deeds every now and again, but the problem we have is that we then weave a story using our occasional good deeds as evidence that we are actually completely good and worthy of God's love.
  In fact, the only reason we are worthy of God's love is because we have a Savior who died on a cross for us so that we might be free from sin.  Because God freely chose to do this, we can have hope and abundant life.  God did not have to do this, but chose to, because God is mercy and love.
  So let us cling to God's love and give thanks for his mercy, for while we deserved neither, we receive both in Jesus Christ.

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 15

Gracious God,
  You alone are majestic, wondrous and awesome.  You have written the stars into the sky and spoken the world into being.  In your infinite wisdom, you have designed us in your image and granted your Holy Spirit to lead us.
  Forgive us, Lord, when our vision falls short and our desires falter, leading us into a cesspool of human sin.  When reach for short-term glory, forgetting the promises you have made and the strength of your hand.  You are good, Lord, and promise to lead us to green pastures.  Help us to see the fallacy of sin's promises and to stay the path that leads to abundance and life in you.

Amen

Romans 9:14-18

Romans 9:14-18
English Standard Version (ESV)

  I have a lot of thoughts on how this country should be run.  My wife hears most of these, but beyond that, I keep them mostly to myself, since I haven't earned the right to be President and then be in a place where espousing my views on the country's direction can have much effect.  Perhaps, when I earn the right to be in influential places, I'll share my ideas on what can make this place run better.
  In the same vein, I try not to tell God what to do very often.  God is infinitely wise and merciful and kind and gracious.  I, on the other hand, am sinful and broken and tend to mess most things up.  Since God created the universe, I think it's best run by him.
  Paul is reminding us who is in charge.  We are all sinful and have fallen short of the glory of God, thus none of us have earned the right to tell God how to run things.  We should approach God with humility, trusting in his grace and mercy, aware that God hears our prayers and petitions, but understanding that God's wisdom is greater than our own.

A Prayer for Monday, Sept 14

Holy God,
  On this day, grant me the strength not to look within for the courage to go forward.
  Instead, may I trust that your grace is sufficient, that your strength is greater than anything I can summon, and that your hands hold life eternal, and the scope of your Kingdom is greater than I can imagine.
  May I not be so narrow-minded as to assume that what I can see is all there is, and may my heart be so generous as to live with the idea that infinite riches and abundance rest in you alone.

Amen

Romans 9:6-13

Romans 9:6-13
English Standard Version (ESV)

  Things are often different than we think they are.  Sometimes, we look at people and think they have it all together, when in fact they may be struggling on the inside.  Sometimes, people whose lives seem like they are hanging together by a thread are content, due to some inner strength that is unseen by most.
  God's Kingdom does not always work like we assume it must.  My favorite musical piece is called O Magnum Mysterium, The Great Mystery.  God works in wonderful ways, beyond human comprehension.  His grace is greater than we can imagine, and his mercy astounds.
  But let us not presume to be certain about who is to be saved and who is not.  Just because someone once darkened the door of a church or was included in a community doesn't necessarily mean they are in the Kingdom, and those who we think are far from it may, for all we know, be within.
  Let us live with great humility, grateful for the grace of God and inviting all to draw nearer to God, that we may discover and live within the covenant of grace.

A Prayer for Friday, Sept 11

Holy God,
  Today, I look back and remember the terror of 14 years ago, the fear of watching such violence unfold, the stark memories of lives being lost.  The television would not stop replaying the terrible images, and they were seared in the mind.  Such chaos.  Such pain.  Such loss.
  Lord, those scars remain forever, deep on the hearts of those who are affected.  You know the reality of brutal pain and senseless violence - you suffered under such violence.  Your scars remain, but they are healed.
  Lord, I pray for healing.  I pray for people whose scars still smart from the wounds.  I pray for lives that have unraveled due to violence and suffering.  I pray for countries that are still trying to grasp how to respond to violence, and I pray for your peace to descend and dwell with us all.  Guide us, Lord, to live as your people, focused on your Kingdom, sharing your love.

Amen

Romans 9:1-5

Romans 9:1-5
English Standard Version (ESV)

  It's so tempting to turn away from the chaos in the world.  We certainly know there's enough of it - it's all over the news, each and every day, pouring in from every part of the world.  We all have enough on our plate, right?
  But Paul has a heart for those far from God.  Great sorrow and unceasing anguish, we hear, for those who do not know Christ.  He's willing to sacrifice himself for their sake.  He's willing to give up his comfort, peace and contentment for them.  He was just talking about how amazing the love of God is, about how incredible it is to be wrapped in the arms of God so that nothing can separate us, and he's now offering to give that up so that others can know Christ.
  When we think of the people around us, do we have that kind of compassion?  Are we committed to sharing the Gospel at whatever cost to ourselves?  Or do we balk at the price?

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept. 10

Gracious God,
  You are love.  From the beginning you have always promised to love, and that love echoes from generation from generation, from horizon to horizon, and your love reigns.
  At times, though, it is difficult to understand how your love is at work.  Seeds of chaos, planted long ago by sinful hearts, seem to be blossoming each day anew.  I wonder how you are at work in the crises that span the globe, and the heartache in each small child makes me wonder how to make sense of it all.  I know and believe that your Holy Spirit is at work, but I struggle to clearly grasp that.
  Help me to trust in you and your presence and your love, and grant me the wisdom to serve you by serving others, that I may actively live out my discipleship and not simply wait during my life.

Amen

Romans 8:31-39

Romans 8:31-39
English Standard Version (ESV)

  This is one of the most meaningful sections of the Bible to any of us who have sometimes wondered about God's presence in our lives.  At times, it is easy to wonder if God is near.  At times, it is easy to fixate on the surrounding darkness and forget about the power of the light.  At times, hope seems to slip through fingers like sand on the beach.
  But Paul puts forward here a powerful reminder of the love and power of God.  Indeed, if God is on our side, who can meaningfully oppose us?  Can any force in the universe oppose the God who made the universe?  Can death, which failed to hold Christ Jesus, pretend to defeat God?
  And this God is the God who gave himself up for us, who died on the cross so that we might have forgiveness.  This God has promised to never let us go, to never abandon or forsake us.  This God will be with us forever, and his presence and power should bring us peace, that we may live with confidence, trusting that the power of God is fully on our side.

A Prayer for Wednesday, September 9

Holy God,
  Here, in the hectic moments of life, you reign.
  In the quiet darkness of night, in the glorious spectacle of a mountaintop vista, in the chaos of the hurricane, still you reign.  You shine your light and you bring life and order into the world, although we often fail to recognize it.  You pour out your goodness, even though we neglect your call.  You are joy and peace and hope, and we still choose darkness, inexplicably.
  Forgive us, O Lord, and help us to see anew with new hearts, that we may understand and live out our call to love one another.

Amen

Romans 8:26-30

Romans 8:26-30
English Standard Version (ESV)

  There is so much depth here -- the Gospel is like a well that never runs dry, and whenever you think you have solved its depths, it reveals yet more to the searching heart.
  Here, we are reminded that we need not know the answer's to life's deepest longings.  When we come to the chapters in our lives that seem unsolvable, when we stumble and can't seem to find the way back to the light, when we fall and can scarcely even think about getting up due to the pain we are in, when our heart's ache because of the brokenness in the world, we discover that God is already there, at work healing, binding up our broken hearts and broken lives, praying for us when we can't even think to orient ourselves towards God.
  God loves us, and he proves it by showing up at the hardest, most difficult points of our lives and leading us through them into everlasting joy.  Our scars and memories may remain, but one day all pain will be banished from our lives, and we shall dwell in life everlasting.

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 8

Holy God,
  Keep me focused on you.
  Today I will go into the world with an idea of what might occur.  Undoubtedly, I will become distracted and stop focusing on you at some point.  I will get rushed, and I will fail to notice you at work.  I will hurry by one of your beloved children in obvious need.  I will be centered on myself, and my attention will only be caught up in my own problems.
  Expand my imagination, Lord, so that I might see you at work in all situations.  Help me see, and keep me focused, that I may serve you at all times, in every way.

Amen

Romans 8:18-25

Romans 8:18-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Take the long view.
  So often in life, we are tempted to focus on the short-term.  We can exchange our long-term hard work for short-term pleasure.  We give up on long-term focused diets for short-term indulgences.  We sacrifice long-term integrity for short-term satisfaction.
  For the early church, the strong temptation was to give up on faithfulness to Christ that might cost them their life.  But this was choosing short-term ease over long-term flourishing that we receive in the Kingdom of God.  In the short-term, life may be harder by choosing Christ.  In the long-term, the rewards infinitely outweigh the costs.
  So let us focus on the long-term and shoulder the cost of discipleship, grateful for a God who promises rewards that far outweigh the costs.

A Prayer for Friday, Sept 4

Holy God,
  You are mighty, majestic and powerful.  You are perfect in every way, and your wisdom exceeds the universe.  You are kind and loving, yet you are certain and fierce.  You have passion for your creation, and you have no tolerance for sin, yet you still manage to love us, your children, despite our sinful nature.
  You are wondrous, O God, and I bow before your throne, amazed at your love and certain of your power.  May your grace cover me, and may this life bring you honor.

Amen

Romans 8:12-17

Romans 8:12-17
English Standard Version (ESV)

  These words are just beautiful.  Over and over again, Paul is pounding into our heads the truth of the Gospel message - that in Christ Jesus, we are freed from the bondage of sin and raised to new life, caught up in the Spirit's work so that we may delight in the newness of our identity, redeemed from death.
  Paul is encouraging us to live as a people transformed, to allow our excitement for new life to change how we treat one another.  We live in the Spirit as a people led by God to serve neighbor and enemy.  No longer fearing death, we can be empowered to go forth into the world and tell the story of grace, of love and of mercy.  We spread the Good News, person by person, and invite the world to hear the marvelous Gospel message.

A Prayer for Thursday, Sept 3

Holy Father,
  You know me completely.
  You know when I rise, and you know when I slumber.
  You know my full past, and you know the deepest longings and fears of my heart.
  You know what I'm thinking, and before the words escape my mouth, you already know them.
  Your knowledge is complete, and so is your love.
  You love me just the same, though I have promised much and failed more.  Your compassion and kindness extend throughout the ages, and I come back with a heart filled with penance, and I find grace.
  Thank you, for your matchless love and unthinkable forgiveness.  May I praise your name forever.

Amen

Romans 8:9-11

Romans 8:9-11
English Standard Version (ESV)

 We often tend to think of spirituality as two extremes that cannot exist at once -- we think of ourselves as saved and cured of sin, or in a state of perpetual sin where God would want nothing to do with us.  If you're like me, you've spent most of your time and energy seeking out evidence that the latter is true (if you're like me, it doesn't take much searching...).
  But the reality is vastly different.  Sin still dwells in us, and our flesh is prey to it, but through the power and life of Christ, we are simultaneously raised to new life, clutched from the talons of death and destined for eternity with Christ.  Our sinful nature does not determine our future.
  But sin still hangs around.  So give yourself some grace -- all is not completely healed, but all is not lost because we are not perfect.  Christ comes to us as we are, and while his grace transforms us, we are still living in the midst of a process that is working itself out.  The final victory has not yet been won, and so we wait with anxious anticipation about what Christ will do, but we do so in confidence that Christ has already acted in and for us.

Romans 8:1-8

Romans 8:1-8
English Standard Version (ESV)

 Here we are, standing in the courtroom, convicted of our sin by the weight of the evidence that surrounds us.  We believe that it has come to define us, and as the judge prepares to read the sentence, we prepare for the inevitable, knowing that we will be guilty, for there is too much proof of our sin to do anything else.  Our attempts at faithfulness are outweighed by sin, and there is no way we can, based on our own merit, approach the throne of grace.
  And then we hear the most beautiful words of all -- there is no condemnation because we are in Christ!  We are set free, declared innocent due to the blood of the lamb!  God has done what we could not-- sending his Son to set us free and pay the price for sin so that we might live in light and love.
  Therefore, in light of this wondrous truth, let us live with our minds set on Christ, so that all of life might be a reflection on the wondrous things that God has done for us!

A Prayer for Wednesday, Sept 2

Almighty God,
  Your greatness stretches across the heavens, from one horizon to the next, and I am amazed at the universe you have created.  Stars hang in the heavens while the planets circle the sun, all of it orchestrated by your brilliance.  Comets race through space while forces unseen somehow keep it all together, and in the midst of this massive universe, here we are, small and insignificant, yet precious to you.  May I remember my place in this great existence, and may I also remember how great your love and wisdom are, that you can create such works and yet still pour out your love on lowly creations, specks in the universe, redeemed by your great love and sacrifice.

Amen

A Prayer for Tuesday, Sept 1

Holy, awesome and gracious God,
  Your mighty hand reaches down to save.
  This is the same hand that moved across the water and crafted the earth.  It's the same hand that divided the sea so that the Israelites could pass through.  The same hand redeemed David and steered the minds of the prophets.  Your love has echoed throughout the generations, singing a song that our hearts know well but our minds forget as we become distracted by so many of the world's cares.
  Forgive us, Lord, when we live as though you are a distant and cold reality.  Repair our wounds, and guide our way to life everlasting, that we may rejoice in you, O God our Savior.

Amen

Romans 7:21-25

Romans 7:21-25
English Standard Version (ESV)

  No matter how much delight we may take in God's law and in serving God, our sin is ever near, drawing us away from living in the splendor, grace and majesty of God.  Without God's unconditional love, our story would end at verse 24, lamenting our fate as determined by our sinful nature, with little hope of attaining the state of grace that is marked by the purity and love of God.
  Thanks be to God indeed!  Through Jesus Christ, we who were marked as dead have been fated for life through faith.  Because of grace, we serve Christ as redeemed, rescued, repaired.  We have been saved, and we no longer look at sin as our future, but rather as a doomed enemy that cannot win the day.