Romans 10

Romans   (Today's New International Version unless otherwise noted)

1Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for the Israelites is that they may be saved. 2For I can testify about them that they are zealous for God, but their zeal is not based on knowledge. 3Since they did not know the righteousness that comes from God and sought to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness.

Holy Spirit, help me to submit to you.  I know that submitting is so hard.  When I think I've given all of my life to the Lord, I sin and see that I am still so rebellious.  I know that all I do that is without you is doomed to fail, at least in your eyes.  Please Holy Spirit, help me to give in and serve you with my whole heart, my whole mind, my whole body and all my strength all the days of my life.        

 4Christ is the end of the law so that there may be righteousness for everyone who believes.

Lord, help my family to believe.  Please Lord, bring us all to true belief.  I know that word believe means so much to you.  Help it to mean so much to us.  Help me to trust, and depend, and live for, and submit to, and walk with, and desire, and put my hope in, and give myself over to you.  And Lord, may it be the same for my family.  Bring us all together at the cross.        

 5Moses describes in this way the righteousness that is by the law: “The man who does these things will live by them.”^a 6But the righteousness that is by faith says: “Do not say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’^b” (that is, to bring Christ down) 7“or ‘Who will descend into the deep?’^c” (that is, to bring Christ up from the dead). 8But what does it say? “The word is near you; it is in your mouth and in your heart,”^d

Jesus, thank-you for being near me.  Please be in my mouth.  Let my words this day be your words.  Be in my heart.  Let my hearts desire be your desire.  Help me to love what you love and hate what you hate.  Please change me so my nature is to do your will.  Change me Lord.        

that is, the word of faith we are proclaiming: 9That if you confess with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved.

 Oh Lord, you are so awesome!  Thank-you for saving me.  How did you bring me to faith.  My mouth did, and does, proclaim you are Lord.  My heart knows you are alive.  Yet even this you gave me.  I have no idea where this faith came from other than you.  You chose me and you love me.  Now Holy Spirit, help my actions to follow my heart and my words.  Help me to live every day what you have placed in my heart and on my lips.  Please Holy Spirit, help me to walk with you every step.        

 11As the Scripture says, “Anyone who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”^e 12For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, 13for, “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”^f

You are true to your word of course Lord.  I have leaned on Psalm 50:15 "You will pray to me in times of trouble.  I will rescue you and you will honor me."  Here you say the same thing.  You have richly blessed me.  You have always rescued me.  When I call on your name, in the end you have always, always rescued me.  Praise be your name oh Lord!

Now Lord, please rescue my family.  There seems to be such a faith struggle in my home (really your home Lord).  I am struggling with the Catholic church, as are my sons.  I don't know whether my sons love you or not.  I think they do but they want to rebel or are tempted to walk away from you.  And all this is happening in front of my little girl.  Lord, I can only trust us all to you.  Your word says you will not lose one of those that the Father trust to you.  Keep my children Lord, and bring in those my children love.  Use me if you want to Father.  I am yours.     

14How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them? 15And how can they preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!”^g

Father, can my feet be beautiful?  Can you use me to bring my children home?  Can you use me to bring anyone home?  Oh Father, please keep me walking in this journey of life.  Keep me moving till you bring me home.  Use me any way you want to.  If it be through affliction, so be it. 
If you call me to witness, give me words and strength through your Holy Spirit.  Please do not let me fall again Lord.  Let this time be real.         

16But not all the Israelites accepted the good news. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our message?”^h 17Consequently, faith comes from hearing the message, and the message is heard through the word of Christ. 18But I ask: Did they not hear? Of course they did:

“Their voice has gone out into all the earth,

their words to the ends of the world.”ⁱ

19Again I ask: Did Israel not understand? First, Moses says,

“I will make you envious by those who are not a nation;

I will make you angry by a nation that has no understanding.”^j

20And Isaiah boldly says,

“I was found by those who did not seek me;

I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me.”^k

21But concerning Israel he says,

“All day long I have held out my hands

to a disobedient and obstinate people.”^l

Lord, you did find me though I was not looking.  You saved me for no reason.  Please, don't ever let me be to proud to come to you more and more, again and again.  I am sure your hands are out to me now, inviting me to a closer life with you.  Please help me not to pass you by.  Help me Lord hear every calling you make to me and run to your hands.