Romans Part 2 - FaithVoorbeeld

The Wonderfilled Gospel

I remember as a child my grandmother had this picture that I didn't understand. It looked like random shapes thrown together in an unintelligible way. But then my grandma told me that I was looking at it wrong! Instead of focusing on the shapes, I needed to focus on the blank space. After studying the frame for some time... suddenly, I saw it! It spelled out Jesus! I had been missing Jesus all these years because I was looking at the wrong things. (see image below)

In a similar way, if we are not careful we can: "miss the forest for the trees."

As we slowly read through the book of Romans, paying special attention to every verse, every word, trying not to miss every detail... ironically... we can miss the point: the power of the Gospel!

We don't want to fall into this trap.

We want to truly understand and taste what motivated Paul to declare:

"For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, for it is the power of God to anyone who believes!" - Romans 1:16

The hope of this devotional is that you would have a visceral experience of the power of the Gospel. That the gospel would become richer, deeper, and even more wonderful as you learn and grow in it! That you wouldn't just read it or just understand it, but that you would taste and feel it... that you would know the Gospel on a personal level.

"Don't miss the forest for the trees!"

Don't miss the reality of our fallenness. Don't forget that we were created in God's image, but all have sinned... and we have all fallen short of the glory of God... the image is tarnished... yet the Gospel invites you to believe in the redeeming, restoring grace of God.

Don't miss this personal invitation from the triune God into the wonder of his grace! Before moving on to chapter 4, let's take some time to read through all that we have covered so far.

As you read this first part of Paul's letter to the Romans, listen for the Spirit to recall all that you have learned so far from Romans and let the Wonder of the Gospel fill your soul!

-Logan Beardsley