Paul did not know the Roman Christians, but he was very thankful to God for their faith. So, he prayed constantly for them. He prayed to thank God for their faith, and he prayed that a way might be opened for him to come to Rome. He wanted to go to them for two reasons. He wanted to go to Rome so he could meet with them, and they could be of mutual benefit. They would strengthen each other's faith. They would pray for each other and encourage each other with testimonies of the work of God. When we meet coworkers at conferences we have never met, we can be a blessing to each other simply by encouraging each other's faith. Paul felt a deep obligation to preach the gospel to the Romans.

Why did Paul feel such an obligation to preach the gospel? Because in the gospel, we find God's power to save us from our sins. We are lost in sin. We cannot save ourselves. But when we believe in the righteousness of God, revealed in the gospel, we receive salvation. The righteousness we find is not in the law but is by faith. That is why "the righteous will live by faith."


Application: Father, the gospel is the power of God for the salvation for all who believe. Thank you so much for saving us with your gospel.
One Word: The gospel is the power of God