Take a moment to read Romans 15:14-33 before reading the devotional below.
Thank you all for your prayers yesterday, I am resting and on the mend 🙂
As we prepare to wrap up Romans tomorrow, I appreciate Paul’s conclusion to this amazing letter. First of all, as a writer I can relate to Paul’s vulnerability. It is nerve-wracking to put words on paper and send it off to readers, unsure how they may react. He basically says, “I know you know most of the stuff I wrote in here, so I’m not trying to insult you… I felt you needed a little reminder so thanks for receiving it.” While God inspired every word of the Bible, he did not do so in a way that eliminated humanity. Paul’s humanity shows up as he expresses a bit of fear and then reminds himself about the boldness he can have in Christ. He is confident in his calling so he does not have to fear getting the message wrong.
Paul also describes his desire to go to Rome and have them launch him into a broader European ministry through Spain and other places. From the end of Acts we know that Paul does not end up in Rome exactly in the way he hoped, and we are not sure whether he ever made it to Spain. Paul asks for their prayers for good reason — Satan is more than happy to disrupt Paul’s travel plans.
Here’s your freedom for today: God will work out your calling even if your plans get interrupted. I’m a planner — I’ll admit it. I have dreams and ideas and missions I want to accomplish. I may not get a chance to do it all, but I am confident that if I remain faithful God will work out my calling. He will use me in all the ways he wants even if that does not line up with all your plans. In fact, sometimes the plan interruptions are the things God uses for the most good. That’s when we know it’s all him and not our own doing.