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"So after I have completed this task and have made sure that they have received this contribution, I will go to Spain and visit you on the way. I know that when I come to you, I will come in the full measure of the blessing of Christ." Romans 15: 28, 29.

Paul related his plans with such confidence! It sounds so easy, as though he would hop on a plane in Jerusalem and disembark in Rome before catching another flight to Spain a few days later. But that was not the case. He was talking about many weeks of travel, by sea, catching a ride wherever he could on primitive and precarious cargo vessels, and over land, mostly on foot through difficult terrain full of perils.

But he had a desire and a plan and he was determined to see it through. He was aware that he had a mission to fulfill - to carry the blessing of the message about Christ wherever he went. He had a deposit of the truth within him. It was his duty to give it away to people everywhere and to share the blessings of Jesus as far and wide as he possibly could.

"I urge you, brothers and sisters, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit, to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me. Pray that I may be kept safe from the unbelievers in Judea and that the contribution I take to Jerusalem may be favourably received by the Lord's people there, so that I may come to you with joy, by God's will, and in your company be refreshed. The God of peace be with you all." Romans 15:30-33.

At the same time, Paul was no stoic. He was well aware of the dangers that awaited him in Jerusalem. If he was hated and persecuted by his unbelieving countrymen in Europe and Asia Minor, how much more was his life in danger in his own land? The Jewish leaders, some of whom had been part of the campaign against Jesus, were there and they would not tolerate his presence because his reputation would have gone before him. He was their erstwhile ally turned traitor, and they would make every effort to get rid of him when he put his foot on home soil.

He urged his fellow believers in Rome to pray for his safety and for the success of his undertaking to deliver the gift of the believers in Macedonia and Achaia. Would they receive the gift since it had come from Gentiles? What if his mission was in vain because of the deep-seated prejudice of his Jewish friends? These were issues that troubled Paul. He needed the prayer partnership of fellow believers wherever he could garner their support, and he was not too proud or independent to ask for their help.

Apostle though he was, Paul was also aware of his humanity and his vulnerability. He was no brazen macho, powering his way around the empire as though he were invincible. Life was a struggle for him. He was in the middle of warfare on two fronts.

There was a relentless enemy all around him, seeking his destruction through every means possible. He was an enemy of unbelieving Jews who were scattered throughout the empire and he was an enemy of the state because he refused to kowtow to Caesar's demand to be worshipped as a god. He proclaimed Jesus as Lord wherever he went and gathered a following in every city and town where he preached.

There was also a relentless enemy within, his own sinful nature which had to be subdued by submitting to and obeying his Lord in spite of the fears and insecurities that constantly assailed him. He felt the weight of responsibility for all the churches on his shoulders. He was driven to preach, write and go to every corner of the empire to make Christ known and to nurture the believers with his knowledge of the truth.

He needed the support of fellow believers and he was not afraid to ask for it. It was comforting for him to know that he was not alone in this great enterprise; that though they could not go with him, they could be with him through their love and prayers. In a hostile world, the church was his refuge and his fellow believers his covering as he ventured forth from the safety of their company to fulfill his mission to the world.

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.