For a description of the (Y2) reading plan, see the “About” page.
Rom. 1
Paul’s premise for the letter is found in v. 16-17. What does it say about the gospel? Faith? Righteousness? He begins his main argument by talking about the wrath of God. Why does he start there? This morning I noticed another one of those subtle little wording things that I typically just gloss over. Paul stated his mission for Christ was, “to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith” (from Rom. 1:5). What struck me is the word “obedience”.
We talk all the time about things like salvation, righteousness, and justification being by faith. But obedience? When I stop to think about it, though, it makes perfect sense. It is, after all, our failure to obey God that renders us unrighteous. Likewise, our inability to obey is why we need His salvation. It says in Hebrews 11:6 that it is impossible to please God without faith. Therefore, we can combine that truth with Paul’s statement here and say that it is impossible to obey God without faith, because we sure can’t please God without obedience!
I believe this concept is foundational to the premise of Paul’s letter, which is all about the gospel of faith. Many of the early Jewish Christians still held to obedience to the Law. But the Law can’t change our heart. Thus, it can’t help us to obey. If we rely on obedience to the Law, we place our faith in the wrong thing. When we put our faith in God, however, because of the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus, He gives us a heart of obedience to Him. We still don’t get it right every time – far from it, in fact. But that’s where His grace, which we receive through that same faith, covers us.
Lam. 5
Jeremiah concludes his lament with prayer. What two things does he ask God to do? Pray those two things over your life as well. “Restore us to yourself, LORD, that we may return; renew our days as of old.” (Lam. 5:21). That is God’s promise and His plan. He will restore us to the relationship that existed in the Garden of Eden between God and man. We will once again dwell together, us as God’s people and He as our God. Thank God for His plan and His promise!
Ps. 127
How does this psalm affect the way you do your work? Plan your schedule? Plan your family? Life without God is lived in vain. Because if God isn’t in it, whatever “it” may be, it has no substance.