A comment, or three, before I share my main thought about chapter 16.
First, I wonder if it has been a long journey for Paul? I wonder if he too feels as if he is standing on the summit!
Second, I love that Paul in verse 4 literally says, “They risked their necks for my life.”
Third, I am also struck by how relational Paul is. Here is this amazing theologian. We have just read the dizzying thoughts he wrote, and in the end, he rattles off a long list of fellow brothers and sisters. That should give us a bit of different perspective on him.
My main thought for the day is prompted by the end of Romans: the doxology.
A doxology is a form of praise to God. The Psalms are full of them.
“Clouds and thick darkness are all around him; righteousness and justice are the foundations of his throne...his lightnings light up the world.” (Psalm 97:2-4.)
What is it that gets you breaking out in praise? Is it the amazing world we live in—and just how amazing the God who created all is?
· Is it those Hubble Telescope photographs?
· Is it the birth of a child?
· Is it that you have had your breath taken away by a sunset?
· Is it that you have experienced love?
God is the creator of all those things and more!
For me, it is when I juxtapose the pictures of deep space and then I think about the world of atoms. I am struck by the range of our world.
God stands outside it, God is other.
When this planet we live on is crazy, I need to think about God.
God is greater, and better, than the planet—indeed God is best!
This God came to earth. He did not just randomly come. He came for a specific purpose. He came for you and for me. God’s love for us in Jesus, is what we have devoted our time in Romans pondering.
Jesus is God come to earth, he bore the Cross, all out of sheer love for us.
This God, who is the creator of all, the genius behind what we can barely figure out, makes it simple; he makes it about a relationship.
This otherness of God can be and is known in Jesus Christ—this is why Romans ends with:
“Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.”