Ready to Serve
Scripture Reading: Romans 1:8–15 (ESV)
8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world.
9 For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you
10 always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God’s will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.
11 For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to strengthen you—
12 that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith, both yours and mine.
13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers, that I have often intended to come to you (but thus far have been prevented), in order that I may reap some harvest among you as well as among the rest of the Gentiles.
14 I am under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish.
15 So I am eager to preach the gospel to you also who are in Rome.
Paul opens this section by thanking God for the Roman believers because their faith is being talked about all over the world. That is a bold statement, but it is not flattery. Paul genuinely celebrates the way their faith is influencing others. Then he shares his own heart. He longs to see them so he can encourage them and be encouraged by them.
What stands out here is Paul’s readiness to serve wherever God opens a door. He does not see ministry as a one way street. He expects to give and to receive. That is the beauty of the body of Christ. No matter how long we have walked with Jesus, we always have something to offer and something to learn.
As we step into these forty days of prayer, let us carry Paul’s posture. Be thankful for what God is doing, eager to invest in others, and humble enough to be ministered to in return. This kind of mutual encouragement builds a healthy, thriving church that reflects the heart of Christ.
Prayer Points:
Thank God for the faith of our church and the ways it impacts others.
Ask the Lord to give you a heart ready to serve and be served.
Pray for divine opportunities to encourage and be encouraged this week.