Today's Treasure: "There we found some brothers who invited us to spend a week with them. And so we came to Rome" (Acts 28:14).
In the early spring of A.D. 61, God fulfilled a promise to Paul. The apostle arrived in Rome. Our text in Acts does not include Paul's reaction when he reached Rome. Surely, he was overwhelmed by the imposing sight, yet more so by his faithful God.
Paul had never seen anything like Rome. At the time of his arrival, Rome was inhabited by one million citizens and approximately the same amount of slaves. As Paul approached the gargantuan city, I believe God knew he would be overwhelmed by a great sea of strangers and the certainty of enemies.
A number of Christians from Rome traveled to meet Paul as far as from the Forum of Appius (43 miles away) and the Three Taverns (33 miles away). They were not old acquaintances of Paul's. They had never met him, but they were brothers in Christ.
Brotherhood in Christ was an important and profound concept to Paul. Scripture refers to a natural sibling of Paul's only once, yet I counted ninety-nine times in his epistles when he referred to other Christians as brothers. The Greek word for "brothers" is adelphos. In reference to fellow believers in Christ, the term "came to designate a fellowship of love equivalent to or bringing with it a community of life." As Paul approached Rome, God knew he needed a "fellowship of love" or a "community of life."
Paul's need was not unique. People are desperate for a sense of community today. We all want to feel like we belong somewhere. God recognizes our need for community and desires to meet the need through His church—the body of believers God organized to offer a community of life.
Paul's example teaches us that a sense of brotherhood and community is not derived from the actions and attitudes of others toward us, but our actions and attitudes toward them. As we imitate his approach to other believers, we will form cords of love not quickly broken.
Paul believed in the power of prayer and in our spiritual poverty without it. His intercession on behalf of the Romans was certainly no exception. He wrote, "Constantly I remember you in my prayers at all times" (Romans 1:9-10). Over and over in his letters, Paul assured churches of his prayers. He didn't just ask God to bless them. Paul jealously sought God's best for them.
Be bold in your prayers! Ask for the riches Christ intends for you and ask for them in behalf of others too! As a result of Paul's prayers for other believers, he had a strong bond of brotherhood with them. His unceasing intercession fueled a sense of camaraderie and unity in his heart. Likewise, our sincere intercession for others will also result in a sense of closeness, strengthening our family ties in Christ.
Lord, thank You for Paul's sense of brotherhood with other believers. I pray to follow his example through bold and persistent intercession. Compel me to pray for those I have fallen out of fellowship with. Thank You for the many spiritual gifts You've planted within my church family. They have blessed me in so many ways. Please make me eager to serve them with the gifts You've given me. Forgive me for being selective about the people I want to associate with in the body of Christ. Make me like Christ, who looks upon the heart and loves us equally. In His wonderful name I pray, Amen.
Adapted from To Live Is Christ, by Beth Moore
(Photos: AG Meeting @ Chinese Garden,Sept 29- Shaffy, Bob, Alvin, Jelson and Vince..)
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