Pray:
Ask God to orient or reorient you to Himself. Confess any known sin. Thank Him for His forgiveness. Be still and reflect on Jesus and His sacrifice for you. Ask the Holy Spirit to open your heart and mind to God’s Word. Pray for others in your life that they, too, would know and love God today.
Read:
Rom. 1:16-17, “16 I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 17For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”
Understand:
These two verses are transitions. It’s not indicated in the translation, but the Greek begins with “because,” connecting it with verses 13-15. The idea then is “I am eager to preach the gospel to you who are in Rome, because I am not ashamed of the gospel.”
He was not ashamed because he knew the gospel he preached was God’s plan to bring salvation to the world. He may have stated this in the negative because there were those who were unhappy with him telling non-Jews that they could be accepted by God as His sons and daughters. He did not cater to these people because he knew of God’s love for all people. He could just as easily have written, “I am very proud of the gospel; it is God’s power for all who believe!”
Apply:
Do you ever find yourself feeling insecure or apologetic for believing the gospel? You may have confidence in the truth of the Bible and the power of the gospel, but still…there are so many who think it is dumb or outdated or arrogant. Maybe you find yourself just a bit “ashamed?”
The solution is not to feel guilty or beat yourself up, but to go back to the gospel. What is it? Why is it powerful and important? Ask yourself…Why do I feel insecure to believe, live, and proclaim it?
“Truth does not depend on your ability to defend it.” If you are hesitant to proclaim the truth to others because you are afraid you won’t know all the answers, don’t worry. You certainly won’t! But, you don’t have to. You only need to know the gospel in order to proclaim the truth of God. Having answers to more questions is helpful, but not necessary.
From what you have just read and considered: What is a personal implication/application for your life today?
Live:
(Personalize this prayer today; make it specific to the circumstances that face you.)
Ask God to lead you through His Spirit as you go through your day. Ask Him to bring to mind the truth of the gospel and its implications for what you will encounter today. Tell Him “Yes” to His will and ask Him for His power and protection to live this “yes.” Ask God to create and reveal opportunities to proclaim the good news today. KEEP PRAYING THROUGHOUT YOUR DAY.