the Third Week after Easter
Daily Devotionals
Day by Day Devotional - Year 4 of 5
Romans 15:14-33
The apostle is persuaded of better things as far as the Christians in Rome are concerned (v. 14). To assume the best as regards our brethren is to show confidence in Christ who is in them. It also helps to encourage them to keep themselves up to this level.
With touching humility, Paul does not speak of his proposed visit to the Romans as if his exhortations were necessary for them, but on the contrary he recognizes their ability to exhort one another (v. 14). Nor, even more, does he write as if they were to have the honour of his presence, but rather that he himself wanted to enjoy their company (v. 24 end). Finally the great apostle writes to his brethren in Rome to say he has need of their prayers (v. 30).
Urged on by his zeal for the Gospel, Paul had often wanted to visit Rome (v. 22). But God, in His wisdom, had not allowed him, for this capital of the ancient world was not to become the centre of his work. It was not fitting that the church of Rome should be able to pride itself on having been founded by an apostle so as to exalt itself above all others – as it did not fail to do at a later date. "The church (in its completeness) is the true heavenly and eternal metropolis of glory and of the ways of God." (J.N.D.).
