“But what does it say? The word is near you, in your mouth and in your     heart, that is, the word of faith which we preach” (Rom. 10:8).

The other day I was feeling out of gas. I don’t remember what all was going on that day. Whatever it was, I felt I lacked the resources to meet the day’s challenges. I talked to the Lord, and He spoke Romans 10:8 to my heart.

In speaking this verse, the Lord was reminding me that Christ is always in me. The word–Christ–is always near, always in my mouth and heart. We may feel deprivation, sin, or alienation in our souls but Christ is always within–our lifesource, righteousness, and nearness to God. How refreshing and freeing the truth is!

In context: Romans 10 discusses righteousness and salvation through Christ vs. through the law. Paul says we don’t need to ask who will ascend to heaven (to bring Christ down) or who will descend into the deep (to bring Christ up from the grave) (Rom. 10:6-7). Christ died and rose again. It is finished (John 19:30). We only need to believe in the sufficiency of His work. When we believe, Jesus comes to live within.

The word is near enough that we can believe and experience salvation. How much nearer is the word when He indwells us? As non-Christians we didn’t need to ask who would bring Jesus down from heaven or up from the grave in order to be saved. How much less do believers need to ask this?

The word–Christ–is near us. We don’t need to wonder who will bring spiritual rejuvination down from heaven. We don’t need to wonder who will bring forgiveness up from the grave. We don’t need to question our nearness to Jesus. He is in our hearts and mouths. He is the all-sufficient grace of God within (2 Cor. 12:9).  This–Christ in you–is the faith we preach.