But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while.
Have you ever noticed that life doesn’t always go as planned? I know I have. I have planned many things, dreamed many dreams, and desired lots of outcomes that just didn’t happen.
Paul, writing to the church in Rome, hopes to see them on the way to Spain. Paul makes it clear in Romans 15 that he feels called to plant churches, bringing the Gospel of Christ to places that have never heard of Jesus.* Having exhausted his opportunities east of Rome, Paul looks west to Spain.*
Spain had been occupied by Rome since 200 B.C., but the Romans had only fully organized the area in Paul’s lifetime.* It was a fresh, new opportunity.
Sadly, scholars cannot tell if Paul ever made it to Spain.* Though there is some indication, there is a lack of evidence to definitively determine one way or the other.* Regardless, Paul also says that he has been desiring to come to Rome for quite some time, but hasn’t been able to.* Things just weren’t going the way he hoped.
Paul, living a life completely submitted to God, only went where God wanted him to go and when He wanted him to go there.* His plans were subject to God’s plans. His will was submitted to God’s will.
In life, as believers, we can pray, “Lord, let your will be done.” However, when God answers that prayer, it often looks like our plans not coming to pass.
Sometimes life doesn’t go as we planned because of faults or failures. Other times life doesn’t go to plan because God has a better one, even if we don’t understand it.
Today, take a step.
Maybe today the one step God wants you to take is to submit to His timing. Perhaps today God wants you to go where He is calling you to. Maybe today He wants you to let go of your plans for His.
Whatever the step, ask God to direct it. Take a moment to take that step. Invite Him to speak. He will.
Life is a long road. Walk it with Jesus.
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*Kruse, C. G. (2012). Paul’s Letter to the Romans (D. A. Carson, Ed.; p. 544–545). William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.
Osborne, G. R. (2004). Romans (pp. 393–396). InterVarsity Press.
Morris, L. (1988). The Epistle to the Romans (pp. 516–518). W.B. Eerdmans; Inter-Varsity Press.
Moo, D. J. (2000). Romans (pp. 488–489). Zondervan Publishing House.