Romans Devotional

Day 53 - Blueprints

Reading: Romans 15:4-7

Reflective Thoughts

Blueprints

One of the things we inherited with our purchase of a 1929 bungalow was the original blueprints. The house was remodeled by the previous owners, and the blueprints have been helpful for us to see what the vision of the original builder was-why it worked then and why some of the remodeling that was done doesn't work so well now. Someone didn't follow the plan.

When Paul, in the previous verses exhorts the church to imitate Christ, he directs it to God's blueprint for the Body of Christ-the Scriptures themselves. They have endured. They are meant to encourage us. They map out the plan that enables us to be of "one mind" according to the Master Builder, whose "House" is comprised of each of us. On the basis of Scripture Paul tells us to receive one another-even as each brick of a home receives the support and weight of the others to make a sturdy structure. It works when you follow the blueprints.

Day 52 - Spiritually Mature

Reading: Romans 15:1-3

Reflective Thoughts

Spiritually Mature

"No man left behind..." was first coined by the U.S. Army Rangers. Today it's used by military divisions all over the world. A soldier comes to mind, who risks his life to carry to safety his wounded and weakened comrade-the strong sacrificing himself for the weak.

As Paul continues his instructions on church unity, he tells those who are strong to bear with those who are weak. A popular Christian marriage and family counselor often tells husbands and wives that the one who is the "most spiritually mature" will make the first move toward love or respect.

That's because unity doesn't primarily depend on universal agreement about matters of opinion. Rather it depends on our devotion to imitating Christ and to the Scriptures that reveal Him. He bore our infirmities for our sake, not His own. Today you probably won't be called to risk your life for someone else. But you may be called to forego your rights for their sake. What are you willing to sacrifice in order to love your neighbor?