Daily Dose of Hope

March 5, 2026

Scripture: Romans 1

Prayer: Almighty God, Thank you for a new day and a new chance to give you glory and praise. You are an amazing God. How incredible it is that you, who created everything, know my name. You know every hair on my head. While I am so grateful for your love and care, it is sometimes difficult for me to adequately wrap my brain around your expansive love and mercy. Help me be a better reflection of you, Lord. Help me see others through your eyes. Help me be merciful, kind, and good. Lord, I know I fall short. So often. But I want to do better. In these next few moments of silence, Jesus, hear my prayer... In Your Name, Amen.

Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, the devotional and podcast that complements the New Hope Church daily Bible reading plan. We are currently journeying through Paul's letters. We just finished our fourth letter (2 Corinthians) and today we are beginning Romans.

Today's reading is Romans 1. Romans is probably one of the most impactful books of the Bible. Much of our Christian doctrine is rooted in this book. My own experience in Romans is that sometimes I need to read a chapter more than once to understand its meaning. Don't be discouraged if that is the case for you too. Pray that the Holy Spirit will guide your reading and reveal what God wants you to know in each chapter.

Romans is written in the form a letter. Paul starts by identifying himself: he is a servant of Christ, an apostle, and one who is set apart for the Gospel. He is writing to a church in Rome that he did not establish and has not yet visited. He wants to be clear from the beginning who he is and what he believes. He is clear that the purpose of his writing is Jesus. Really, it's all about Jesus Christ, and we will see that theme woven throughout the entirety of Romans. It's certainly a good reminder for us–it is simply all about Jesus. We get quite distracted but Jesus is what matters.

In the middle of the chapter, Paul is clear about his purpose - sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Take a look at some of the statements that Paul makes:

-I am obligated to both Greeks and non-Greeks, to those who are wise and foolish.

-I am eager to preach the Gospel to those in Rome.

-I am not ashamed of the Gospel.

Paul knows who and whose he is and that defines every other aspect of his life. He is a person sent to share the Good News to all people, he is looking forward to preaching Jesus to the people of Rome, and he is totally unashamed, unembarrassed, and ready to be a minister of the Gospel.

What are your thoughts about this? We live in a time and culture in which people are hesitant to share their faith, worried about people's reactions, and content to just leave things be. Paul was anything but content. He felt obligated, eager, and totally unashamed! Spend some time in prayer asking God to speak to you, specifically what God wants you to learn from Paul and our new study of Romans. Ask God to open your heart and mind to new concepts and challenges.

Blessings,

Pastor Vicki