Romans 16 - Wednesday 15th May

Today’s chapter is Romans 16

Tom writes:

It is finished. The mighty epistle has ravaged me and brought me to my knees once again. I’ve found myself weeping or sitting in stunned silence or perplexed and then slowly starting to see. Oh the strength of Jesus so mysteriously disclosed. Oh the abundant mercy of Jesus which can keep us secure until Satan is crushed beneath our very feeble feet. The vistas of God’s grace displayed in this book are still far more magnificent than I have grasped. The robustness of our hope still feels a little elusive to me. But I think that is part of the point; Paul’s closing prayers and greetings once again remind us that we are living in a story. We are passing through this grubby orange age. The only wise God has disclosed enough of himself in Jesus to make us strong in him right now. But we ain’t seen nothing yet. Our glorious current experience; our lavishing with the love of God, our adoption into the family of pioneer philanthropists, our re-birth by the Spirit into a brand new Jesus race, our freedom from wrath and shame and condemnation and fear; all of it compares quite dimly with the full extent of what is to come.

And so while we enjoy the now and while we celebrate the sacrifices and the hard work of the Priscilla and Aquillas, the Rufuses and the Junias, our greatest desire is to help those beloved saints endure until The Day. And they will need our help and our prayers and our enduring devotion. “The powers” will pressure them and make them risk their necks. Clashes in the church could divide them and see them fading in their faith. Their ex-brother-in-law (Sin) will seek to seduce them. A whole host of things will cause obstacles for them. And, even when all of those things are held back, they will still be living in a body and a creation that is groaning and in decay. But if we help them, if we bring our spiritual gifts to serve them and show hospitality to them and bear with them when they are wrong, then not only will they endure. Then they and we together will manifest the presence of our Saviour - the beautiful delight of holiness - and we will refresh the hearts of many in many nations across the earth.

Question for reflection

Which part of this incredible letter struck you the most?