Scripture to Read: Romans 1:13
God has graciously been teaching us, through Romans 1, as God led Paul to write His Word to the believers in Rome and us. So, today we see that God had Paul share with the believers in Rome that he had been planning to visit them but had been prevented from getting there. There are times when God lays on our hearts certain desires to serve Him in specific ministries, but then we have to wait for the opportunity to open. Sometimes we are hindered in ministry because of spiritual warfare (Ephesians 6:12). At other times, God has us wait on being involved in a particular ministry because He is not finished using us in our current ministry. Thankfully, God has given us all of His Word, so we know why Paul was hindered from getting to Rome to be with the believers there. Paul was not being delayed because of spiritual warfare, at least not in this instance. We know from Romans 15:20–22, that it was God who had not yet opened the door for Paul to go to Rome. Instead, God had laid on Paul’s heart a desire to preach the gospel in areas where the name of Christ had not yet been preached. So, the ministry God had called Paul to fulfill, preaching to unreached people, kept Paul from getting to the believers in Rome. Both ministries were important, but the ministry to the unreached people who had not heard of Christ took precedence over being with the believers in Rome—a beautiful picture of trusting God with His perfect timing.
Challenge & Application
· Why is it important to understand the sovereignty of God when obstacles seem to present themselves in our lives?
· How can you give praise to God for how the gospel has reached your ears and has been received in your heart?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!