Our daily reflections follow the M'Cheyne Bible reading plan, designed for those who want to read the whole Bible in one year. Each reflection focuses on one of the chapters from that day's readings. Darllenwch rhain yn Gymraeg.
Lord, open my ears to hear what you have to say to me; open my heart to love your word, and open my mind to understand your truth.
There's a clear theme in this chapter, though – like the rest of Romans – it is dense and rich in argument. Paul is overwhelmed with a sense of the scope and scale of salvation. It's not enough for God to have forgiven us – it was 'while we were still sinners that Christ died for us' (verse 8). That, he seems to say, was the basic transaction that put us back on the right track. But God has more to offer: 'Now that we are God's friends, how much more will we be saved through Christ's life!' (verse 10).
Paul speaks of sin as less than goodness. It is smaller and weaker – not insignificant or entirely powerless, but nothing in comparison to the grace of God. Grace is overwhelmingly wonderful; God gives far more than was ever lost in Eden, because Christ is greater by far than Adam ever was. 'It is true that through the sin of one man death began to rule because of that one man. But how much greater is the result of what was done by the one man, Jesus Christ!' (verse 17).
The critic and writer Kenneth Tynan was not a believer, but was a great admirer of C.S. Lewis, who taught him at Oxford. He said of him once, 'How thrilling he makes goodness seem, how tangible and radiant.' If we are sometimes cast down by the terrible things we hear of or experience, we have that to set against them: the tangible, thrilling radiance of God's goodness.
God, thrill me with a vision of your grace. When I'm overwhelmed by the wickedness of the world, remind me of the riches of the love of Christ.
This reflection was written by Mark Woods, Bible Society's Editor
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