Romans 10:14-15

Passage

Therefore, how should they call upon the one in whom they did not believe?  And how should they believe in the one whom they did not hear?  And how should they hear without proclamation?  And how should they proclaim unless they should be sent?  Just as it is written, “How timely are the feet of the one who brings the Good News!”

Thoughts for Today

First Thought:

Paul begins this passage tracing salvation backwards.  After all, if salvation is to those who call upon the name of the Lord, how does one learn how to call upon the name of the Lord?  How can one believe so that one can call upon the name of the Lord?  What I find interesting about this order is that Paul inherently puts belief before being able to call upon the name of the Lord.  In other words, calling upon the name of the Lord is a response to faith.  Some people think that the expression, “Lord, save me” is good enough.  Paul seems to be indicating that the words on the lips are nothing without the faith and relationship behind the words.

Do you call upon the name of the Lord?  Do you have the relationship with God to support that request?  From where does your relationship with God grow?

Second Thought:

However, belief is not the beginning of the chain.  After all, how can one believe in something that they’ve never heard?  And how can one hear anything unless someone else is prepared and sent to say it to them?  Here we see how God works.  God knows that we cannot do it on our own.  So He sent Jesus to do it for us.  But He also knows that we cannot believe on our own.  So He continues to send us messengers all throughout our life.  He sends us people to tell us truth again and again and again.  He orchestrates our faith, beginning with sending His Son and other faithful people to us.  Our job is not to make it happen; our job is to listen and respond.

Do you see how God is ultimately at the origin of our faith?  Can you have possibly come to a relationship with God without Him doing most of the work beforehand?

Third Thought:

I love Paul’s use of the quote from Isaiah 52:7.  Evangelism is a beautiful thing.  It is beautiful in its timeliness.  God prepares hearts of people to listen to those who would proclaim to them.  God prepares people to proclaim to those who would listen.  It is a beautiful thing to watch someone bring a message into a situation that has been prepared by God all the way around.  His timing is perfect; His message of salvation even more so!

Who has God prepared to proclaim God’s truth to you?  To whom have you been prepared to proclaim God’s truth?  Do you see this process as beautiful?

Passage for Tomorrow: Romans 10:16-17