“8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you because the news of your faith is being reported in all the world. 9 For God, whom I serve with my spirit in telling the good news about His Son, is my witness that I constantly mention you, 10 always asking in my prayers that if it is somehow in God’s will, I may now at last succeed in coming to you. 11 For I want very much to see you, so I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you, 12 that is, to be mutually encouraged by each others faith, both yours and mine.

13 Now I want you to know, brothers, that I often planned to come to you (but was prevented until now) in order that I might have a fruitful ministry among you, just as among the rest of the Gentiles. 14 I am obligated both to Greeks and barbarians, both to the wise and the foolish. 15 So I am eager to preach the good news to you also who are in Rome.

16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 17 For in it God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, just as it is written: The righteous will live by faith.”

Romans 1:8-17

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It is so refreshing to see the passion coming from Paul’s heart when it comes to communicating the Gospel. It seems so often that people view the Gospel as old hat, something that can go stale or become uninteresting. But I really think that is because they have ceased to listen to what it is saying. When we are encountered by the goodness of the Gospel message, we who are in Christ cannot help but get excited by it, to grow in our passion for it. We desire to see that message get communicated, spread around and to see lives changed by the faith that is born in us through it all. It is a wonder to behold and it is a blessing to participate in, a blessing beyond measure. When we acknowledge the Gospel for what it is, the Spirit guiding our hearts, minds & attitudes, we will find something that is always fresh, always relevant, always exciting. 

Paul’s excitement for the Gospel is an inspiration for those who may have drifted in their commitment to it’s goodness. His enthusiasm reminds us of our ‘younger’ days in the faith. We are refreshed by his passion, and the obvious movement of the Spirit within his life and ministry. And if it seems unrealistic, if it feels impossible to be in that same state of mind and spirit as he finds himself, we need to remember that it is the same Holy Spirit moving in him that moves in us. God does not change. We can experience what Paul does here. 

And while Paul is called to preach, we know that not everyone is. We are all called to bear witness, to make disciples. He was planning on doing fruitful ministry, trusting in God that He would move and do great things. He wasn’t content to sit and wait. He wasn’t okay with ‘just being a good Christian’ and not making any waves. He knew that kingdom work required change, movement and forward progress. He knew that God had plans to reach and tough other people in the Name of Jesus Christ, through him, and that meant living a life that reached beyond the bounds of Jerusalem, Judea and even his hometown of Tarsus. He was willing to be moved by God for God’s sake, and that willingness, enjoyed with the passion for the Gospel, made his life a beacon. It wasn’t his own power or will, but the will of God at work in Him. Paul understood his position as a bondservant for Christ. He understaood what it meant to be submissive to the Lordship of Jesus. And so he had faith, in that faith, passion was born and that faith fulled passion led him to use the gift (in this case, preaching) that God had intended for him to use for His glory. 

We all have a similar call to GoLove people for the sake of Christ & for the glory of God through the power of the Holy Spirit at work in us. It is wonderfully uncomplicated, and it is so much more than we could ever expect. Trust Him. Let Him move in you. Let faith be your guide and speak the truth in love today.