Called to be Holy
Opening Prayer
God, still my heart and mind as I focus on my relationship with You.
Read Romans 1:1–7
For additional translations of the passage, use this link to Bible Gateway.
Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle and set apart for the gospel of God— 2 the gospel he promised beforehand through his prophets in the Holy Scriptures 3 regarding his Son, who as to his earthly life was a descendant of David, 4 and who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord. 5 Through him we received grace and apostleship to call all the Gentiles to the obedience that comes from faith for his name’s sake. 6 And you also are among those Gentiles who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
7 To all in Rome who are loved by God and called to be his holy people:
Grace and peace to you from God our Father and from the Lord Jesus Christ.
New International Version (NIV)
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Reflect
Spend a few minutes considering what these words—“loved by God and called to be his holy people” (7)—mean in your life.My friend Shirley is always chastising me for giving up a time-consuming activity… and immediately taking another one on. She is right, of course. If I’m totally honest I don’t always stop to ask God whether this new role is right for me. And I know to my cost that if I take on too much and get stressed and irritated I am not following God’s call to be holy (7). I am still aware that I am called to belong to Jesus Christ (6), but my life isn’t always showing it.
We often think of our calling in terms of the things we do for God. And of course, this doing inevitably changes over the years. What never changes is our call to be holy people. And for that the constant requirement is to have some set-apart, holy time. Time to grow, time just to be with God, time just to be.
Right at the beginning of his letter Paul stresses the call for the Romans to be holy people. That is the foundation on which they, and we, will be able to build.
Apply
Think about what you see as God’s primary calling for you at this moment. If the word “holy” isn’t included, think again.
Closing prayer
God, I ask for Your direction as I seek Your plans for my life—and for this day.
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