Romans 1:1-7

Romans 1:1 (ESV)
“1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set
apart for the gospel of God”

Called and Set Apart
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The book of Romans is a deeply personal letter that God has used to shape hearts for nearly two thousand years. Its words have been studied, preached, and cherished throughout the Church's history. Imagine for a moment that you were the author. If you knew your letter would impact the world as it has, how would you introduce yourself?

Paul, the author of Romans, chose to introduce himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God.” Let’s step into his introduction and see what it reveals about his heart. He identified himself first as a servant, someone who willingly offered his whole life in devotion to his Master, Jesus. God called him to be an apostle, a witness of the risen Christ, sent out to share the good news. To be set apart meant that his life was devoted entirely to the message of Jesus and the mission He had given him.

What makes this introduction so powerful is remembering where Paul had come from. His past was marked by rebellion, pride, and even violence. Yet after encountering Jesus, everything changed. His identity was no longer defined by his pride, failures, or shame. It was grounded in the grace of Christ. The same is true for you. Through Jesus, you are not the sum of your past mistakes, weaknesses, or successes. In Him, you are:

Fearfully and wonderfully made- Psalm 139:14

More than a conqueror- Romans 8:37

Beloved- 1 John 3:1, Colossians 3:12

A saint- Ephesians 1:1, 1 Corinthians 1:2

Whole in Christ- Colossians 2:10

Washed clean- 1 Corinthians 6:11, Psalm 51:7

Forgiven- Ephesians 1:7, Colossians 1:13-14

Made with purpose- Ephesians 2:10, Psalm 138:8

As you begin this day, consider this simple question. How will you choose to identify yourself in light of who Jesus says you are?

Practice This:

1. Write the promise in your own words

2. Name the waiting place (what you feel is delaying the promise)

3. Pray the promise back to God

4. Carry the promise into the day

Prayer:

Lord, You have been faithful from the very beginning, and Your word has never failed. Today I bring to You the places where I feel tired, unsure, or still waiting. Remind my heart that Your promises are steady, even when my circumstances shift. Help me to trust You the way Paul trusted You, believing that every word You have spoken is yes and amen in Christ. Give me peace where I feel anxious, strength where I feel weak, and hope where I feel discouraged. Fulfill Your promise in Your time, and keep my heart anchored in who You are. I rest in Your faithfulness today. Amen.

Romans 1:1-3 (ESV)
“1 Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God 2 which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, 3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh”

The Promise Fulfilled
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Have you ever imagined that Jesus moved through life with ease simply because He was fully God and fully man? As if He could quietly switch on the “God button” to avoid hardship, bypass difficult people, or soften the weight of suffering? Paul reminds us that the gospel announced throughout human history was fulfilled by Jesus, who stepped into our world through the line of David, taking on real flesh and blood. He did not escape pain. He endured crucifixion, death, and was powerfully declared the Son of God through His resurrection.

Paul also teaches that Jesus “emptied himself” by taking the form of a servant and embracing the whole human experience (Philippians 2:6-8). This does not mean He stopped being God, but that He set aside the privileges of His divine power so that He could fully walk the same road we walk. Why does this matter for us today? Because the Son of God chose to feel what we feel. He faced betrayal, temptation, exhaustion, storms, rejection, and slander. He also enjoyed friendship, community, and the joy of seeing people welcomed into God’s kingdom.

This means your Savior does not meet you with distant sympathy; He meets you with lived understanding. As you navigate the human experience, you can come to Him for wisdom, comfort, and strength, knowing He has walked this path before you. He offers His grace not out of pity, but out of experience. And because He conquered the grave, you can trust that He will bring victory into the places that feel overwhelming today.

• He experienced grief and tears- John 11:35

• He experienced temptation- Hebrews 4:1

• He experienced rejection- John 1:11

• He experienced betrayal- Luke 22:48

• He experienced obedience through suffering- Hebrews 5:8

• He prayed with loud cries and tears- Hebrews 5:7

• He experienced joy and relationships- John 15:15

• He experienced compassion- Mark 1:41

• He experienced physical pain and death- John 19:30

Practice This:

Set aside a few quiet moments with your journal. Write down one area of your life where you feel the weight of the human experience today. It might be grief, exhaustion, temptation, discouragement, relational tension, or uncertainty. After you name it honestly, choose one verse that shows Jesus experienced something similar. Sit with that verse and let it remind you that He truly understands. Then write a short prayer inviting Him into that exact place. Ask Him to meet you, strengthen you, and walk with you in a way only He can.

Prayer:

Lord, You understand what I feel and what I’m facing. Meet me in this place today, give me Your strength, and help me trust You with what’s ahead. Thank You for walking with me and offering grace I can depend on. Amen.

Romans 1:3-5 (ESV)
“3concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh 4 and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, 5through whom we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations,”

Fully Human, Fully Divine
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Have you ever imagined that Jesus moved through life with ease simply because He was fully God and fully man? As if He could quietly switch on the “God button” to avoid hardship, bypass difficult people, or soften the weight of suffering? Paul reminds us that the gospel announced throughout human history was fulfilled by Jesus, who stepped into our world through the line of David, taking on real flesh and blood. He did not escape pain. He endured crucifixion, death, and was powerfully declared the Son of God through His resurrection.

Paul also teaches that Jesus “emptied himself” by taking the form of a servant and embracing the whole human experience (Philippians 2:6-8). This does not mean He stopped being God, but that He set aside the privileges of His divine power so that He could fully walk the same road we walk. Why does this matter for us today? Because the Son of God chose to feel what we feel. He faced betrayal, temptation, exhaustion, storms, rejection, and slander. He also enjoyed friendship, community, and the joy of seeing people welcomed into God’s kingdom.

This means your Savior does not meet you with distant sympathy; He meets you with lived understanding. As you navigate the human experience, you can come to Him for wisdom, comfort, and strength, knowing He has walked this path before you. He offers His grace not out of pity, but out of experience. And because He conquered the grave, you can trust that He will bring victory into the places that feel overwhelming today.

• He experienced grief and tears- John 11:35

• He experienced temptation- Hebrews 4:1

• He experienced rejection- John 1:11

• He experienced betrayal- Luke 22:48

• He experienced obedience through suffering- Hebrews 5:8

• He prayed with loud cries and tears- Hebrews 5:7

• He experienced joy and relationships- John 15:15

• He experienced compassion- Mark 1:41

• He experienced physical pain and death- John 19:30

Practice This:

Set aside a few quiet moments with your journal. Write down one area of your life where you feel the weight of the human experience today. It might be grief, exhaustion, temptation, discouragement, relational tension, or uncertainty. After you name it honestly, choose one verse that shows Jesus experienced something similar. Sit with that verse and let it remind you that He truly understands. Then write a short prayer inviting Him into that exact place. Ask Him to meet you, strengthen you, and walk with you in a way only He can.

Prayer:

Lord, You understand what I feel and what I’m facing. Meet me in this place today, give me Your strength, and help me trust You with what’s ahead. Thank You for walking with me and offering grace I can depend on. Amen.

Romans 1:6 (AMP)
“And this includes you, called of Jesus Christ and invited [as you are] to belong to Him.”

Jesus Calling
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Most of us have felt the anxious pressure of standing in a line during recess or P.E., waiting to be chosen for a team. As the names are called, your mind races. You try to convince yourself that the captain overlooked you by accident, or you reassure yourself that you have to be next. Maybe you whisper that familiar childhood prayer, “Please don’t let me be picked last.”

Paul has just introduced himself and the mission God entrusted to him, a divine assignment God set him apart for personally. Yet instead of leaving the reader feeling solely impressed by his credentials, Paul immediately widens the circle. He wanted his audience to know that the grace and calling he recorded of himself are not reserved for the spiritual elite, the well-behaved, or the exceptionally devoted. It reaches all the way to the person holding his letter.

What is worth pausing over is that Paul had no idea who would eventually read his words. He did not know their background, dreams, failures, or spiritual maturity. But he knew one thing with absolute certainty: they were called by Jesus Christ and invited to belong to Him.

That same invitation still stands today, and it extends to you. You never have to stand in that anxious line, wondering whether Jesus will choose you or whether you are worthy to be included in His family. He has already chosen you. He invites you, just as you are, to experience His grace, His salvation, His strength, and His calling. His invitation is not based on your performance, your behavior, or your church attendance, but solely on His love. Jesus is calling, and now the question becomes: will you answer Him?

Practice This:

Take a moment with your journal and reflect on the invitation Jesus extends to you to belong to Him, just as you are. Write down the thoughts or fears that make you feel unworthy, overlooked, or hesitant. Be honest before the Lord. Then, below those words, write a simple statement of acceptance. It could be as brief as, “Jesus, I receive Your invitation to belong,” or you may feel led to write a few sentences expressing gratitude, trust, or surrender.

Prayer:

Lord, thank You for calling me and inviting me to belong to You. Quiet the anxious places in my heart that still wonder if I am wanted or worthy. Help me trust that Your choice is not based on my performance but on Your love. Teach me to rest in the truth that I am Yours, and give me the courage to answer Your call with faith and obedience. Draw me closer today, and let my life reflect the joy of belonging to You. Amen.

Romans 1:7
“To all those in Rome who are loved by God and called to be saints: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Beloved and Called to Belong
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In Disney’s The Lion King, there is a powerful scene where young Simba, burdened by the belief that he caused his father’s death, runs away from his family and from the life he was meant to live. Consumed by guilt, he banishes himself from his community and his calling, choosing instead a life of “no worries” with unlikely companions. One night, he receives a vision of his father in the clouds, and Mufasa gently urges him, “Remember who you are, Simba… remember.” Those words become the turning point in Simba’s journey, awakening him to look beyond his shame and undeserved guilt so he can return and reclaim his true identity.

Similarly, Paul writes to a church he did not plant, unsure of how much they knew or what they believed about themselves. Yet he wants them to learn and remember something essential: they were called by Jesus and loved by God. Paul wanted to ground their identity in something far more substantial than their circumstances or their past. The word Paul uses for “loved” carries the sense of a love that is active and ongoing, fully present, completely assured, and stretching from this moment into eternity.

Love is the foundation for everything God pours into our lives. Paul often places grace and peace together in his letters, and in that order for a reason. Grace comes first, because only when you know you are fully loved can you truly rest in God’s peace. Peace is not achieved by trying harder, being better, or fixing yourself. It flows out of the confidence that you belong to Him and that His love will not waver. The same eternal love Paul affirmed for the church in Rome is the love God declares over you today. When you build your life on the truth that you are fully and completely loved, from this moment to eternity, you can receive His grace with open hands and experience His peace with a settled heart. This is your foundation today: you are loved, you are welcomed, and His grace and peace are yours to walk in.

Practice This:

Find a quiet place and take a few minutes to sit with the truth that you are fully loved by God. Write down the words “Loved. Graced. At Peace.” in your journal. Under each word, list one way you’ve seen or received God’s love recently, one way you’ve experienced His grace, and one area where you long for His peace. As you write, allow these truths to settle into your heart—not as ideas to achieve, but as gifts already offered to you. Close by thanking God that His love is the foundation that makes grace possible and peace attainable.

Prayer:

Lord, let Your love be the ground beneath my feet today. Settle my heart in the truth that I am fully known and fully loved by You. Let Your grace steady what feels weak within me, and let Your peace quiet every anxious place. Draw me deeper into the life You offer, a life rooted in love that stretches from now into eternity. Help me live as one who belongs to You. Amen.