Meditation on Romans 15:7 “Accept one another, then, just as Christ accepted you, in order to bring praise to God.”

This verse is the climax of Romans 14 to here. It teaches that the biggest reason we need to accept each other, regardless of our stances on doctrinal nonessentials, regardless of our varying strengths or weaknesses of faith, is because Christ has accepted us, and the biggest purpose for that acceptance is to bring praise to God.

Lord, sink this into my heart. Pierce me with the truth of the gospel, that Christ accepted me, even died for me, despite me. Father, rework my heart so that it doesn’t credit itself with my salvation. Take away from me the thought that I chose You, that there was something in me that was better or smarter or quicker than that in non-Christians. God, although I wasn’t blinded by Your light on the road to Damascus, make it as obvious to me as it was to Paul that my belief, my salvation, my faith, my sanctification has been entirely Your doing. Though I am called to be sanctified, it is by You that it’s done–what The New Bible Commentary calls “the divine-human interplay involved in Christian living.” This is a perpetual dance–I strive forward, yet I accomplish exactly what You supply, what You have already prepared in advance.

Lord, I praise You for “enriching my life in every way” (1 Cor 1:5) in You. In You I am enriched in every way. My life is turned from a muddy pit to a bubbling fountain of clear water, completely despite me. You are the difference in my life. Whatever good comes from me, it is by Your Spirit’s doing, just as Paul’s ministry was by Your Spirit. God, you enrich my speaking, my thinking, my eating, my drinking. This is not a prosperity gospel–I’m not saying that my life has been apple pie a la mode since I knew you–but it has been richer, fuller, better. Hardship has come, and my heart aches at the hardship still to come–the people who will pass away, the financial turmoil, the insults–but You have been a faithful God to get me through it.

Lord, I ask for guidance about the graffiti on our newly painted hallway today. You know what the graffiti says, how it insults me for all to see, in no lack of vulgarity. Lord, I suspect who did it. The handwriting matches SR, who has been hostile towards me lately and defiant–but what shall I do? Shall I seek justice for a suspicion? I want to do it, because I want revenge against the person who wrote my name on the wall. I want a message sent to everyone that doing something like that is wrong and deserves and receives punishment.

But what happened to Jesus was infinitely more wrong–He was insulted repeatedly though He’d done nothing wrong. He was God. He’d done everything good. He hadn’t just been okay; He’d been perfect. And He was publicly defamed; instead of having His name written up on a wall with a vulgar claim that He was something He wasn’t, He was put up on a tree, marred with beatings, naked, with a claim that mocked Him for Who He said He was.

And instead of calling down justice on His mockers and killers, He called down forgiveness.

God, I repent of my seeking revenge. Considering Your Son has melted away this hardness, and I praise You for Your power to do that with a single thought. I ask, God, that You would forgive SR. She truly does not know what she does. She does not mock God, but she mocks me, Your son. Though I don’t deserve to be in Your family, I am! You have adopted me, and so SR mocks Your son. Therefore I ask, Father, by the power of the Holy Spirit, by the divine example of Your Son, that You forgive SR for what she’s done. I ask that You show me what to do about the graffiti–to leave it, or to paint over it? And I ask, Father, that You give me a heart that loves You more, and that loves Your creations more, Your image-bearers, people like SR who even hate me.

I ask, God, for love for those who hate me, and who I would hate. Sanctify me.

In Your Son’s precious name, amen.

Tags: paul, Jesus, forgiveness, Jesus Christ, belief, the cross, faith, loving enemies, road to Damascus, 1 Cor 1:5, Romans 15:7, salvation, prosperity gospel, graffiti, student graffiti, teacher insults, insults