Called by Grace

Reading: Romans 1:1–7

We are called because of grace, not merit.

I am writing to all of you in Rome who are loved by God and are called to be his own holy people. May God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace.

Romans 1:7 

The life of the Apostle Paul stands as a living testimony that God’s call is never a reward for our merit, but a miracle of His mercy. Once an enemy of Christ, Paul was transformed into “a servant of Christ Jesus,” set apart not by his achievements but by grace. He could say with humility, “I am what I am by the grace of God” (1 Corinthians 15:10). In Romans 1:6, he reminds believers that they are “called to belong to Jesus Christ,” showing that our identity is not something we earn, but something we receive. As Scripture declares, “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8), proving that God’s love always moves toward us before we ever move toward Him.

Because we are “loved by God and called to be his holy people,” our daily walk changes from striving for approval into responding with gratitude. Paul’s greeting of “grace and peace” reveals the rhythm of Christian life: grace received first, peace flowing afterward. Through Christ, “we have peace with God” (Romans 5:1), not because of our performance, but because of His finished work. We do not work for a place at God’s table; we serve from a place already secured by His love. As Eugene Peterson observed, grace frees us from the exhausting need to prove ourselves.

When this truth settles in our hearts, it releases us from fear, comparison, and self-condemnation. We no longer serve to impress God, but to honor Him with thankful lives. Grace forgives our past and reshapes our future, training us “to live self-controlled, upright and godly lives” (Titus 2:11–12). Henri Nouwen reminds us that grace calls us “beloved” even when we feel unworthy. Like Paul, we discover that God’s mercy does not merely rescue us—it sends us, empowering us to extend to others the same compassion we have received.

Prayer

Heavenly Father,

We thank You for calling us by grace and not by merit. We praise You for loving us when we were weak and for giving us new life in Christ. Help us to rest in Your mercy, walk in Your peace, and serve with grateful hearts. May our lives reflect the grace we have received.

In Jesus’ name, Amen.