What may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them. (Rom. 1:19)
Expanded Passage: Romans 1:18-32
We tend to think of “spiritual things” as those things that are somehow separate from our everyday lives. And sometimes, that can be true: God can move in ways that are supernatural, extraordinary, and “other than” our normal routines—perhaps even in ways that disrupt us.
But more often than not, God’s most durable work is done in ways that fly under the radar—ways that, because of our pace, our focus, or our attention, we walk right by.
This past week, we’ve walked through a lot of heavy theology laced throughout Romans 1. But underneath the beliefs, behaviors, and dispositions Paul talks about is a surprisingly simple theme: God is—everywhere and always—yearning to make himself known.
Every time I read through Romans 1, I get tripped up by the words “God has made it plain to them,” because it seems to me that there are many people to whom God’s work isn’t plain, and I wish God would show off a little bit more. But God is not obsessed with showmanship in the ways we often are. He just keeps subtly inviting us to pay attention to the quiet, “plain” ways he shows up to us.
Our task is to stay content and pay close enough attention to catch the gifts God is yearning to give us each day.
Name one way God has been plainly present in your life.
Ethan Linder is the discipleship pastor at College Wesleyan Church (IN) and contributing editor for Education and Clergy Development of The Wesleyan Church.
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
