Romans 10 , Romans 12

Scripture - "Everyone who calls, 'Help, God!' gets help."  But how can people call for help if they don't know who to trust? And how can they know who to trust if they haven't heard of the One who can be trusted? And how can they hear if nobody tells them? And how is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?   Romans 10:13-15

Observation - Wow!  It was difficult to pick just one passage from these two chapters - so much good stuff.  Chapter 10 was once again filled with the good news of what God is doing for us in Jesus, that it is God's work, and the relative simplicity for salvation to be ours.

The end of chapter 12 had great advice for daily living as a follower of Jesus.  All good "for me" stuff.  Here in these verses I hear not so much "for me" stuff, but "for others" stuff.  I believe, and receive help because I know the one in whom I can trust.  "Yeah, me!"  But there are many others, as I think Paul is pointing out, who don't know.  They don't know because they haven't heard, because nobody has told them.  And he concludes with, "How is anyone going to tell them, unless someone is sent to do it?"  The reality is someone has been sent to tell.  We have been sent to tell them.  We just don't always do such a good job at it.

Application - We don't do such a good job of it in two ways:  we don't invite people into "the story" - either our own story or the story the church has to tell.  Our own story does not need to be rammed down somebody's throat, but shared openly and honestly when the opportunity arises.  This often happens when we are allowing Christ to live through our lives, which will often make people stop and go, "Hmmmm."  then they may be intrigued about why we do the things we do they way we do them (see Paul's list at the end of chapter 12).

The story the church has to tell is of course the story of Jesus, but often the story we want to tell is the story of the church (especially our church).  As wonderful as that story is, it may not be that interesting to someone who is not an "insider."  In fact, how we've always done things may be so uninteresting to those outside the church, that they are not around long enough, at all, to hear the real story we have to tell, the story of Jesus.  This genuine story is never uninteresting.  Someone may not "buy it," but at least they are making an informed decision.

Sometimes telling others the real story, may mean we need to speak a different language, and it might not be the language we're used to.  But we know the story - we have heard.  How can someone else know how to trust if they can't hear and understand the story about the one who can be trusted?

Prayer - Heavenly Father, thank you for your help when we cry out to you.  Thank you for those who helped me hear, and come to know you are the one who I can trust.  Help me take seriously that fact that you now send me (send us) to help others hear and to trust in you.  In Jesus' name I pray.  Amen.