Scripture: Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV)
DEVOTIONAL:
Have you ever felt called to do something? As a college senior, I have spent four years thinking that I couldn’t wait to be a music teacher. But recently I have felt myself called to do something completely different, to go overseas and involve myself in mission work. I must note that this isn’t something that I have ever imagined myself doing until now and I can’t say that I am ready to leave the minute I graduate.
So when I read the opening words of Scripture in the Book of Romans, I am reminded of the amazing obedience of the Apostle Paul that was recorded in the Book of Acts. Paul was called by God to travel to all the Jews preaching the good news of the resurrected Christ. Thinking about this, I wonder how it is that Paul can easily drop what he is doing to go and work with God’s people, but I myself have trouble imagining taking a year off to go do service?
Obedience. God calls us all to be apostles of Christ. Now, I’m not saying that we must all devote our life to overseas missions, because that isn’t every person’s call in life, but I am saying that we should all be open to the call of God in our everyday lives. I pray that once we find this obedience inside ourselves, we will be granted the peace that Paul writes to the Romans, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”
Scripture: Romans 1:1-7 (NRSV)
Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, 2which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy scriptures, 3the gospel concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4and was declared to be Son of God with power according to the spirit of holiness by resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith among all the Gentiles for the sake of his name, 6including yourselves who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, 7To all God’s beloved in Rome, who are called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.