Revive Us Oh Lord With Daily Devotions

TUESDAY, 12 SEPTEMBER 2023

TEXT: Romans 15:22-33

22. In fact, my visit to you has been delayed so long because I have been preaching in these places.

23. But now I have finished my work in these regions, and after all these long years of waiting, I am eager to visit you.

24. I am planning to go to Spain, and when I do, I will stop off in Rome. And after I have enjoyed your fellowship for a little while, you can provide for my journey.

25. But before I come, I must go to Jerusalem to take a gift to the believers there.

26. For you see, the believers in Macedonia and Achaia have eagerly taken up an offering for the poor among the believers in Jerusalem.

27. They were glad to do this because they feel they owe a real debt to them. Since the Gentiles received the spiritual blessings of the Good News from the believers in Jerusalem, they feel the least they can do in return is to help them financially.

28. As soon as I have delivered this money and completed this good deed of theirs, I will come to see you on my way to Spain.

29. And I am sure that when I come, Christ will richly bless our time together.

30. Dear brothers and sisters, I urge you in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ to join in my struggle by praying to God for me. Do this because of your love for me, given to you by the Holy Spirit.

31. Pray that I will be rescued from those in Judea who refuse to obey God. Pray also that the believers there will be willing to accept the donation I am taking to Jerusalem.

32. Then, by the will of God, I will be able to come to you with a joyful heart, and we will be an encouragement to each other.

33. And now may God, who gives us his peace, be with you all. Amen.

(New Living Translation Holy Bible)

TOPIC: WE NEED EACH OTHER IN CHRIST

Christianity is a faith community that supports others. In today's text, Paul is making efforts to reach the unreached places in the entire Province of Rome.

Jewish believers in Jerusalem were poor, perhaps because of their faith. This made them lose their property and businesses or inheritance.

Twelve years earlier, a severe famine forced Paul and Barnabas to take relief materials to Jerusalem (Acts 11:28-30). These materials were contributed by Gentile churches in Macedonia and Achaia (2Cor. 8:1-4;9:1-2).

These Gentile believers had enjoyed the privilege of receiving the gospel from Jerusalem. Now, it was Jerusalem's turn to share from the material relief that came from the Gentile Christians (vs.27).

It is sincerely hoped that today's devotion will change our perception towards tribalism and ethnicity since we are one and were all Gentiles by nature before we encountered Jesus.

QUESTION: What will you do to show your need for others in the body of Christ?

PRAYER: Father, thank You for the example set for us by the early church. This demonstrates that we need one another because of our oneness in Christ. Amen.