Romans 4 - In Depth Bible Commentaries

PRAYERO God, it is not through our own merit, or our performance in observing your Law, thatwe can rightly relate to you. No, it is only by trusting your grace and your loving forgiveness.Indeed, that is the only hope any human being can have. In this spirit we come to you inprayer, confessing our deep need for your gracious forgiveness, and guidance. We need tohear your word, with its command, and with its promise.O God, we want to stand before you, listening, and responding with obedience andtrust. The world all around us says that it is impossible--that guilty criminals cannot beforgiven; that there is no such thing as "new birth"; that everything is going to the dogs, thatnothing can be renewed, or changed for the better--that there is no real future for your people,no such thing as resurrection of dead bodies from dust or ashes. But we do not believe thepessimistic voices that are constantly pounded into our ears in this modern world.We stand before you, the God who gives life to the dead, and who calls the things thatdo not exist into existence. You spoke, and the galaxies were flung out into infinite space.You spoke, and the tiny atoms whirled in their orbits. You created this world, and every one ofus. You raised our Lord Jesus from the dead, and brought him with the clouds, to sit at yourright hand, giving him and us your eternal Kingdom–making him the Lord of history, the onewho is universally present, coming to us in every time of need. And you have a glorious futurefor all your people. You can and do bring order out of chaos, light out of darkness, hope out ofdespair. Even when our physical strength is gone, and every human possibility has come toan end, you are still the Creator, the All-Powerful God. What you have promised, you are ableto accomplish. You are the God who can raise new life from dust and ashes--you are the Godwho gives eternal life and unending hope to the hopeless. In you we trust, O God.Yes, you raised up Jesus our Lord from among the dead--the Lord who grants totalforgiveness and cleansing from all our transgressions; the Lord who enables all of us to live inright-relationship with you, and with our fellow human beings. Because of your gracious favorand free gift of forgiveness, we can joyfully live by your teaching. Thanks be to you, O God,whom we praise through Jesus, our Lord. Amen.255