8 First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being reported all over the world.9 God, whom I serve in my spirit in preaching the gospel of his Son, is my witness how constantly I remember you 10 in my prayers at all times; and I pray that now at last by God’s will the way may be opened for me to come to you.11 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong— 12 that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other’s faith. 13 I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that I planned many times to come to you (but have been prevented from doing so until now) in order that I might have a harvest among you, just as I have had among the other Gentiles.

When I first went to Stanchfield Baptist, I was asked by the pastoral search committee what I planned to do if I became their pastor. I asked the same question of the committee as to what their hopes and dreams were for the new pastor. I was not running for a political office, but a calling. Our plans must be to wait on the Lord, all the while preach the Bible, do evangelism and mission outreach, disciple the believers, and since we were a family church, seek ways to minister to the congregation and community of all ages. This would be a team approach.

Before the apostle Paul presented his plans in this letter to the believers in Rome, I am impressed, he was praying leader. He was thankful not only praying to the Lord, but praising the Lord for all the good reports of the believers in Rome. Their faith was heard throughout the world. It wasn’t just about the size and the numbers. He wanted churches to know their priority was seen in increased faith and the advancement of the gospel, in their love for the Lord and for one another. He wanted to see them firsthand to witness what God was doing.

He shared his thanksgiving to the Lord. It might be hard to be thankful when you are beaten up, when there were hassles preaching Christ, when he was rejected by his own people, but he knew his thankfulness was based not on outward circumstances. They were based on the eternal promises of God. He was also seeing lives changed and he praised God for their Christian maturity.

One thing that drains a pastor is spending too much time with sinful disagreements and infighting in a church. That can drain a person. Paul had to address those issues in some of his letters and visits, but not with the Romans at this point. I am told new young men being interviewed for youth pastoral position need a ministry in addition to just youth. As exciting as it might be, young people are up and down in their faith. Sometimes things are going well and the next week they stop coming. Pastors need a balance by working with new Christians and young people and working with mature believers as well. I told them to find adult sponsors to work with them as a team and not go alone.

Paul’s heart was clear when he told the Roman church, “I really want to preach the gospel. I really want to tell people about Jesus. I really want to show by the Bible who Jesus is, the promised one from the Old Testament.” All of this was with his whole heart. Paul told them of his love for them and desire to visit them. He was hoping God would allow that, but he reveals it didn’t seem like this was the time. He submitted his plans to the sovereignty of God. He was a servant of God. James also teaches us, when it comes to making plans (4:15)  “Instead, you ought to say, "If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that." Paul told them his heart, but it was always submissive to the will of God.

I have a missionary friend in India. He had plans to reach unreached people. He thought it would be primarily with his computer skills.  He commented how often he felt God was leading him to do one thing, but other opportunities became priorities along the way. We make plans and present them to God. How many times must those plans change?

Paul’s plan was to come that they might be mutually encouraged. He prays he might have a harvest among them, to see some of them come to Christ. He was a man with a heart for God and for God’s people. He was a man whose love and concern ran deep. Paul kept that foremost in his prayers and attention.

His heart’s desire motivated his work which God used mightily.           

Dale