Devotion

Romans 15:13
“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

Explanation and Commentary of Romans 15:13

Joy, peace, and hope are three marks of a Christian, and this verse shows the way in which they are intermingled. Joy, peace, and hope all come from God, by the power of his Holy Spirit. Paul writes this verse as a blessing and a prayer over his readers, including today’s believer.

How can God fill his child with joy and peace, and what is the part played by the Christian? It is to trust in him. Much of the church was enduring persecution in the day the epistle was penned. The hope, joy, and peace were readily available to those who continued to “trust in him.” Today, there is still persecution, and even where there is not, the believer is still harassed by satan and endures the kingdom of darkness until the return of Christ. How are they to endure? By trusting in God.

In Romans 15, Paul holds side-by-side commands and blessings. For instance, he commands the church to “bear with the failings of the weak,” (Ro 15:1) and also speaks a blessing: “May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Ro 15:5-6). He commands a certain “attitude of mind” while praying that God would give it to them. This all comes from the power of God.