Romans 15:30-15:33 - Prayer Request

Calvin (7/15/02)

15:30: All of Paul's experience on his journeys would have informed him as to what he could expect when he reached Jerusalem, for resistance and opposition was always rising against him among the Jews. Add to this the Spirit-born warnings he was given. (Ac 20:23 - The Holy Spirit testifies to me in every city, speaking of bonds and affliction awaiting me.) Yet, the more he was warned, the more determined he was. He seeks out the prayers of the Church because he understands how needful it was for the Church that he remain alive. The degree of his fear can be seen in the urgency of his request, calling not only on the name of our Lord and Christ, but also on the Holy Spirit to encourage his brothers to earnest prayer. Yet, fear was not such as would stop Paul in his course, only turn him to such channels of support as the Lord provides - the prayers of our fellow saints. (Mt 18:20 - Wherever two or three are gathered in My name, I am with them. Mt 18:19 - If two of you agree on earth regarding what you ask, it will be done for you by My Father in heaven.) The love of the Holy Spirit is the means by which Christ has bound His Church together in bonds of unity. If Paul was not willing to neglect this God-given support network, "how great must be our stupidity, if we, who are abject and worthless creatures, disregard it?" Yet, in this passage is no support for praying to dead saints. Footnote: While Paul was living, it was as likely for the Roman church to seek his prayers by such a letter as Paul sends here. But once Paul has died, how shall the Roman church get a letter to him to seek such prayers? Footnote: The image of striving that Paul uses here is intended to suggest such a wrestling as Jacob experienced with the angel. (Ge 32:24 - Jacob was alone, and wrestled with him until daybreak.) The word speaks of the agonizing and strenuous effort put forth when two men wrestle in the course of warfare, or when striving for the prize in athletic games. The word Paul uses here is meant to reflect the great struggle he was undergoing with oppression, and to call the Church to his aid. Our prayers for each other ought to be offered up with the passion we would know were we in the exact same circumstance. In such prayer, we do indeed lift a portion of the burden from him for whom we pray.
15:31: Even among the church in Jerusalem, Paul knew that slanders would have arisen against him, making him suspect in their minds. This suspicion, he feared, might be enough to make them refuse the gift he brought. Such is the power of slander, that it will cause us even to reject the means of life from the one who has been so maligned. Yet, in spite of his fears as to his treatment, he still speaks of the Jerusalem church as saints. Even when we are wronged by our brothers, they remain saints, as they remain children of God. As such, we ought to continue to honor them, even if they mistreat us in this manner.
15:32: Paul gives the Romans more basic (from their stance) reasons to pray for him. It was to their benefit to have Paul come, and the more joyful he was, the less distracted would be his ministry among them. Again, he balances this with the fact that he expects to enjoy similar refreshment from their company. Footnote: (1Co 16:18 - They have refreshed my spirit and yours, so acknowledge them, and men like them. 2Co 7:13 - This is why we have been comforted. Besides this comforting, we rejoiced all the more for seeing Titus' joy, as his spirit had also been refreshed by you. Phm 7 - I have had much joy and comfort in your love, for the hearts of the saints are refreshed through you.) To refer all our prayers to God's will is needful, for He alone 'directs all our ways by His providence.'
15:33: That his prayer is for all indicates that he seeks for everyone in the church to be ruled and guided by God. That his prayer is for peace indicates that he seeks for God to keep them in unity through their present circumstances. Footnote: The 'amen' that closes the chapter is considered spurious by many.

Matthew Henry (7/15/02)

15:30: As great an apostle as Paul was, he was never above seeking out the prayers of any Christian. This shows throughout his letters. Our prayers for each other are excellent evidence of our love for each other. How careful we ought to be not to do anything that would cause us the loss of this love and prayer from our brethren! Given the lack of personal acquaintance, Paul's pleas are all the stronger, for he has less reason to think they would be inclined to pray for him. So, he gives them good cause to pray. He points to his Master, in whose interest he is working, as if to say, "if you love Him, then pray for me for His sake." He points to the Spirit, for prayer for others is the evidence of His love within us, and of the communion we share with all Christians by His power. In prayer such as this, we must put forth all our effort, wrestling with God as Jacob did. (Jas 5:17 - Elijah was a man like us, and when he prayed earnestly that the rain might be held back, it did not rain for three and a half years. Isa 64:7 - No one calls Your name. No one arouses himself to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and delivered us into the power of our own sins.) If our love for our brothers is true, our prayers for them should be as earnest as those we offer for ourselves. Paul does not ask prayer in place of his own duty, but together with his own efforts. Thus, though great distance may separate us, we can yet support each other in prayer, we can yet be the means of God's providence on behalf of those we cannot reach physically.
15:31: "It is good to be particular." Prayer should be purposeful, and for it to be purposeful, it must have a point in mind. Christ Jesus is ever asking, "what would you have Me do for you?" He knows us perfectly, yet he would know from us what we seek. As answer to this, and as recommendation to the Romans that they indeed join in prayer, he offers three things. First, prayers are sought for his deliverance from unbelievers in Jerusalem, for such men were ever the most violent of Paul's enemies. We, too, should be always in prayer against persecution, wherever it may crop up. In Paul's case, this prayer was answered on several occasions, as documented in Acts 21-24. Secondly, he seeks prayer that the Gentile offering, his present mission, would be accepted when he arrives. Paul had cause to be concerned in this case, for the money he brought came from Gentiles, and even believers among the Jews could well be expected to be nervous with regard to him, with all the uproar his presence caused among unbelievers. Paul does not grow defensive in this, but commits their best interest to prayer, seeking that God will turn their hearts to accept the offered support. It is as wise to seek God for the increase of good will among our friends, as it is to seek a lessening of the ill will of our enemies, "for God has the hearts of both [] in His hands."
15:32: He also offers them his planned trip to Rome as encouragement to pray, for if the Jerusalem trip is troubled, so also will be his following journey to Rome. "All our joy depends upon the will of God."
15:33: He, in turn, offers a prayer for them. The same God who is Lord of hosts in battle is also God of peace. In invoking this name of God, Paul turns his prayers to the particular needs of the Roman church in that time - unity and peace. In earlier times, the prayer had been 'peace be with you,' now it was, 'the God of peace be with you.' "Those who have the fountain cannot want any of the streams." Note that his prayer is for all in the church, from the weakest to the strongest. Again, this is a promoting of unity among them. "Those who are united in the blessing of God should be united in affection one to another."

Adam Clarke (7/15/02)

15:30: Paul appeals to that love of God which the Spirit has shed abroad in our hearts. He appeals for them to agonize together with him, for he sensed that much depended on the success of his present mission. Not only did the well being of the Jerusalem church depend on this success, but the mutual acceptance of the Jewish and Gentile portions of the Church was also at stake.
15:31: Unbelievers lay in wait for his life, much as he had once pursued believers himself, and no less than he had, they doubtless thought to serve God in their attacks. Some manuscripts put 'gift' in place of 'service,' yet the latter, in this connection could refer to nothing other than the contribution he bore to Jerusalem. It seems more likely that 'service' is indeed the correct wording.
15:32: The record of Acts 21-24 show that Paul's concerns were well-founded, and the Holy Spirit had given him sufficient warning of what to expect. (Ac 20:23 - The Holy Spirit warns me in every city, saying that bonds and affliction await me. Ac 21:11 - He came to us, took Paul's belt, and bound his feet and hands, saying, "The Holy Spirit says that this is the way the belt's owner will be treated by the Jews in Jerusalem, who will bind him and deliver him to the Gentiles." Ac 20:38 - They were grieved to hear him say that they would not see him again.) His prayer was that the Jewish church would accept his service, and that the service he performed would bring a better understanding between the Jewish and Gentile converts. If this turned out to be the case, he expected that his subsequent trip to Rome would be most joyful. Further, such an outcome would stand as proof that all he had been doing was in accord with God's will.
15:33: All of Paul's letter has been aimed at bringing peace between the Jewish and Gentile converts, at promoting unity, and so his concluding prayer points them back to the God of peace, the God who has had such great mercy on Jew and Gentile alike. The closing 'amen' is missing in some of the oldest manuscripts, and may not be original to the letter. Throughout the last few chapters, Paul has been exhorting the Church to the very difficult yet very necessary duty of bearing with each other in non-essential matters. Most of the things that have divided the Church over the course of time have been just such non-essential matters, and each side has picked and chosen the portions of Chapters 14 and 15 that will support their opinions. Yet, the whole of the text points them to the fact that they are on equal footing. On both sides of the argument, there is a duty to seek to lovingly instruct the one we think wrong, and to bear with him in any case. If we must know religious disputes, let them be in the search for truth, not in the search for support of our own preconceived notions. If this be our way, our search shall be free of the heat and anger that otherwise prevail, showing Christ to be absent from the dispute. "Whatever does not lead you to love God and man more is most assuredly from beneath."

Barnes' Notes (7/16/02)

15:30: Paul seeks prayer. He asks that it be given in consideration of the love of Christ, and the desire to see His kingdom grow. Paul hopes for deliverance, that his deliverance would bring greater honor to Christ. The Holy Spirit produces love for each other among the brethren. Paul calls upon them to manifest this love in prayer support. It is not just a passing prayer he seeks, but a great effort of prayer, such an effort as the wrestler puts forth in seeking to win his game. So should we pray for ministers everywhere, especially those serving in pagan nations, for their exposure to temptations is great, but distance is no issue to the power of prayer.
15:31: Recalling the commission Paul had abandoned on the road to Damascus, the unbelievers among the Jews were particularly opposed to him. This only worsened when news came that he was teaching the Jews abroad to abandon the Mosaic law. (Ac 21:21 - They have been told about you. They have heard that you teach the Jews among the Gentiles to forget Moses, and ignore the circumcision of their children.) Paul could hardly be unaware of what to expect when he went back to Jerusalem. Still, his primary concern is not his own safety, but the acceptance and effectiveness of the offering he brings to the poor Christians in that church. Here, too, Paul had cause to wonder what reception he might receive. Firstly, they also would have heard the rumors regarding Paul's teaching. It was partly to combat these rumors that Paul went to perform a vow in accord with Mosaic Law when he reached Jerusalem, showing that he still honored that law. (Ac 21:22-24 - What shall we do? They will know that you have come. So do this: Take these four who are under a vow, and purify yourself along with them. Pay their expenses so they may shave their heads. This will show every one that the rumors that have been spread about your disregard for the law are false. Ac 21:26-27 - Paul did as they suggested the next day, purifying himself, and giving notice of the period required to complete the purification prior to sacrifice. When the seven days required were almost completed, some Jews from Asia saw him in the temple and began to stir up the crowds, laying hands on him.) Furthermore, converts from among the Jews might still have their former bias against the things of the Gentiles as being naturally polluted. We are all slow to lose our old beliefs and habits after conversion, and they were no different than we. How much more difficult it would have been on their part, being in a culture steeped in these views, and having been educated in those views from childhood.
15:32: He seeks prayer that this opposition will not stop his intended trip to Rome. In this trip, he hopes to know joy himself, and to produce joy in them. Yet, all is referred to God's will. All our desires and all our prayers combined do not supercede His will, and if we truly submit to His Lordship, this should be the object of our prayers anyway. (Jas 4:14-15 - You don't even know what your life holds tomorrow. You are no more than a momentary vapor, seen for a moment before vanishing. You really ought to say that you will do whatever it is you plan to do if, and only if, the Lord wills.) Paul went as the Lord willed, but that will included the bonds of the prisoner upon him.
15:33: God is the author both of peace and of unity. He is the same God Paul declared to be God of hope earlier (Ro 15:13 - May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace, believing. May you abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.) Here, as Paul is so concerned with the unity of Jew and Gentile in the church, both with regard to his upcoming trip, and with regard to the subject matter of this letter, he calls upon God as the author of that unity he seeks to promote. (1Co 14:33 - God is the God of peace, not confusion. This is so in every church of the saints. Heb 13:20 - The God of peace brought our great Shepherd up from death through the blood by which eternal covenant was sealed: Jesus our Lord.) With this passage, both the doctrinal portion and the application are complete. What remains are mostly greetings. We must see that Paul's greater purposes in this closing prayer were indeed answered. He indeed reached Rome, yet not by deliverance, but indirectly because of the very thing he hoped to be delivered from. So does God often hear our prayers and answer, yet in answering, He often uses the thing we seek deliverance from as the means of fulfilling our desired end. So many times, we pray for holiness and in the same breath pray to be delivered from all affliction. Yet God so often will use those very afflictions to bless us with the holiness we seek. Surely, it is a good thing to talk to God of all our desires, yet we must leave the means of His answering with Him.

Wycliffe (7/16/02)

15:30: Paul invokes both Christ and the love produced by the Holy Spirit as encouragements for his readers to pray most earnestly on his behalf.
15:31: Being perfectly clear on his reputation among the Jews of Judea, he knew what he could expect. Thus, he seeks prayer to be delivered from any plans of theirs. He also seeks prayer on behalf of the gift he carries, that the Christians in Jerusalem would respond in love to the gift of love, in spite of its Gentile source.
15:32: To this he adds the request that they pray for his joyful refreshing when God wills that he come to Rome. His eventual arrival did not show any outward signs of bearing this joy, nor was he able to go to the Roman church to be refreshed, although they could freely visit him. Thus, God overrules certain details in our prayerful requests, yet the request itself is granted.
15:33: Having sought prayer, it is fitting to pray for those we beseech. More fitting yet that Paul prays to the God of peace, who alone can bring real peace.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown (7/16/02)

15:30: Paul's appeal is not to the Holy Spirit's love, but to that love he produces in the believer. Thus, it is by mutual love for the Savior, and as evidence of that love which the Spirit gives to all the Church, that he exhorts them to prayer. That he seeks great effort in prayer shows the depth of anxiousness he was experiencing with regard to his Jerusalem trip.
15:31: He has concerns regarding those who have refused the Gospel, and will not obey faith. (Ro 2:8 - They are selfishly ambitions, and will not obey the truth. They obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.) He understood the tensions that were building in Jerusalem, and was quite aware that his presence was likely to bring things to a head. He also had reason to be concerned for the attitude of the believers in the Jewish church, whose long held opinion of the Gentiles might well poison their reception of any gift from that quarter. (Ro 15:25-28 - I go now to Jerusalem in service to the saints. For the churches in Macedonia and Achaia have gladly contributed for the poor in the Jerusalem church. Indeed, they were pleased to do this, knowing that they were indebted to the Jews. After all, if they have shared in the spiritual things, it is only reasonable to minister from their material wealth in return. Once I have finished this, and have seen their gift delivered and deployed, I will come to you en route to Spain.) Paul's fervent prayer at this point, in which he sought the agreement of the Romans was that the gift he brought would be well received, and thus serve to strengthen the bonds of love between the Jewish and Gentile portions of Christ's church.
15:32: He adds a desire for prayer that God will allow him to reach them in fullness of joy, so as to find times of refreshing among them. (Ac 18:21 - In leaving, he told them he would return if God wills. Then he departed Ephesus. 1Co 4:19 - I will come soon, if the Lord wills, and discover just how powerful these arrogant speakers of words truly are. 1Co 16:7 - I hope to see you more than just in passing, staying some time with you, if the Lord permits. Heb 6:3 - We will do this, if God permits. Jas 4:15 - We should always say that we shall do as we plan if the Lord wills.) Paul seeks refreshment so that he will be properly fit for further service.
15:33: The peace he seeks from the God of peace envelops all that God's peace is. It is the peace that comes of reconciliation through the blood of covenant. (Heb 13:20 - The God of peace brought the great Shepherd up from death through the blood of eternal covenant, our Lord Jesus. 1Th 5:23 - May the God of peace fully sanctify you - spirit, body, and soul preserved free of all blame at Christ's coming. 2Th 3:16 - May the Lord of peace give you peace constantly, in every circumstance. Php 4:9 - Practice what you have learned from me, what you have both heard and seen from my example, and the God of peace will be with you.) This reconciliation spreads peace among those who know it. (1Co 14:33 - God is a God of peace, not confusion. This is known in all the Church. 2Co 13:11 - Rejoice! Be made complete, comforted, united in mind, and living in peace. In all this, the God of love and peace will be with you. Ro 16:20 - The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you.) This same peace that is so diffused among His children abounds to overflowing in them, thus being diffused out into a world caught up in the strife of sin. (Ro 12:18 - So far as it is in your power, be at peace with all men. Mt 5:9 - Blessed are the peacemakers. They will be called sons of God. Jas 3:18 - The seed which produces the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by peacemakers. Heb 12:14 - Pursue peace with all men, and sanctification, for without sanctification, none see the Lord.) In looking back upon this chapter, Paul's humility stands in stark contrast to the Romish bishopric of today. He apologizes for the things his office requires him to remind them of, knowing they are already well informed on the subject. It is only because of his office that he writes. There is in the Church no real priesthood, such as the Levites constituted, nor is there any sacrifice in more than figure. Paul offered not some sacrament or mass, but the real presence of Christ. He sacrificed no offering, but brought that which would sanctify the offerer. (Heb 13:9-16 - Don't be carried away in strange teachings, for the heart is strengthened by grace, not foods. We have an altar which even the temple servers cannot eat from. The bodies of the sin sacrifices are burned outside the camp. This is why Jesus suffered outside the gate: so that He could sanctify the people through His blood. So, let us join Him outside the camp, and share His reproach. This city will not last, but we look to the city which is to come. So let us give a continual sacrifice of praise to God through Him, that the fruit of our lips will be thanksgiving to His name. Don't neglect good works and sharing, for these are sacrifices pleasing to God.) When news of Christ is brought to us, it is not possible that we could repay the debt we owe to him who brought this news, yet any benefit we might give to them we should think it a privilege to do so. When opposition arises against the truth and against God's servants, the combined prayer of the saints ought to be our primary defense and offense. The worse the battle, the greater should be our resolve to pray most strenuously. Here we see that even the highest of Christ's servants finds refreshment in fellowship. It is not a good sign when God's workers think it beneath them to enjoy the company of the most humble of His saints.

New Thoughts (7/17/02-7/18/02)

Isaiah 64:7 reads, in effect, "No one calls Your name. No one arouses himself to take hold of You. For You have hidden Your face from us, and delivered us into the power of our own sins." This was God's declaration of the state of Israel in that time. I wonder how different His words might be regarding the so-called Christian nations of the earth today. Even amongst those who claim the title of Christian, there are many who don't even think to call upon the God they claim to believe in and trust. Fewer still are willing to put in the time and effort to really dig in to His word, to really develop intimacy with Him.

Is this the kind of bride anybody would seek? Yet, He tells us He is seeking a bride, a pure and undefiled bride. He longs for intimate relationship with us, but we won't even lift a finger to grasp Him. With that kind of reaction, what surprise would it be for God to look elsewhere for His bride? Who wouldn't be inclined to turn from such a reception?

This is the effect of grace removed. This is man getting what he truly deserves. This is what our cries of "it's not fair" unwittingly seek. They were left to the power of their own sins. How many around us are in that condition today? How many of us are in that condition today? Are they, are we, powerless to stop our sinful actions? It is because we have not called on Him, not really. Oh, we may have offered the token prayer here or there, but we haven't gotten serious yet. We haven't 'agonized in prayer.' We haven't sought out our brothers and sisters to join us in this fervent seeking out of our Father's help.

Certainly, in the nation as a whole, this describes our state. In spite of surges in church attendance after the disaster of last September, things returned all to quickly to the status quo. Church as social club, church as status sign, but not church as life-support. We just don't get it. And again, in many churches, this same view holds true. We have denominations laying claim to Christianity, but accepting belief in whomever or whatever we might like to consider as our god. We have denominations declaring it acceptable for the clergy, let alone the congregation, to walk in direct violation of God's command. How can we be so blind? How can we tread the words of our Father under foot and at the same time seek His blessing? We are like a child refusing to mow the lawn in one breath and asking to borrow the car in the next.

What a different example we find in Paul, and in the other founders of the Church. These were people that knew the power of prayer, and put it to work. These were people that understood what it meant to be a child of God, and lived it. Yet, these were people just like ourselves. They were not demigods, nor angels, but men of flesh and blood. We are no less in a position to live in the truth of our heavenly status today. We can be a people of fervent and effectual prayer. We can walk through our days in the power that is ours as the sons of God. We can call on His name earnestly, and wrestle like Jacob to lay hold of Him until He blesses us. Imagine the difference! Live the difference!

Next, I want to turn once more to Paul and the Jerusalem trip. Many of the commentators have looked at his prayer for deliverance as indicating that he hoped to get through his Jerusalem mission without any danger or violence to himself. Perhaps this is true. Even probably true. However, behind that prayer, we must recognize that Paul was a man of faith. We must see in his prayerful requests much the same as we see in Jesus' prayer in the garden.

Like Jesus, I believe Paul knew in large part what was coming. In Acts 20:23, he speaks of the fact that in every city, the Holy Spirit was warning him of the bonds and afflictions that were awaiting him. It was not just the words of one prophet, but a message that was being delivered to him over and over again, as though God wanted to make certain that he was clear on the situation. I don't doubt that Paul was clear on it. I don't doubt that at least a portion of his thoughts were on a desire to accomplish his mission without these afflictions. No man willingly charges into such dangers joyful over the prospect of imprisonment and possible tortures.

What I think was even higher in Paul's thoughts, though, was his ability, by the grace of God, to survive the circumstances to come, and to survive them in a way that would glorify God. In every circumstance, I truly believe this should be our mindset. We needn't play this self-deceiving game of pretending we're thankful for the afflictions that are coming. We needn't pretend we don't care, that we relish the opportunity to suffer. That's foolishness. It's absolutely acceptable to pray that such things be kept from us. Yet, Thy will be done, my God.

Our greater prayer should be that, if it is needful to go through these circumstances, God will uphold us through the trials in such a way that our perseverance and peace will redound to His glory. This is the deliverance I believe Paul was seeking. "Show Your grace through me, God. Show Your truth through my ability to survive this, my God. In spite of all this opposition, Lord, let Your work be accomplished through me." God had ordained that this offering be sent, to help in uniting His children, to help in breaking down the dividing wall. Paul joins his prayer to God's will. Whatever may come, he prays, let Your work be done.

With this in mind, it seems clear to me that the joy Paul expected to know in coming to Rome was not dependent upon his avoiding all trials in Jerusalem. The joy he expected to know in coming to Rome was in knowing he had completed the assignment the Lord had entrusted to him, that he had in doing so furthered the unity of the Church, whatever his own circumstance might turn out to be. Again, just as Jesus knew as He prayed that the cross was an unavoidable part of His mission, so Paul also knew that the bonds awaiting him in Jerusalem were an unavoidable part of His mission. He may not have known why they were necessary, but the Holy Spirit had made clear that they were.

His faith in God was sufficient to make this acceptable. He knew that God works all things for the good of His workers. He wrote those words. He also lived those words. Whatever might befall him in Jerusalem, he knew he could count on God to work things out for Paul's good and God's glory. This is joy. This is peace. Only in this believing faith, in this living out of God's word, can we find such a confidence in the face of all circumstances.

The Wycliffe commentators note that Paul's arrival in Rome didn't show any signs of being such a joyful occasion. The trip had been most dangerous. He came not as visitor, but as prisoner. Indeed, it seemed as though he had no cause for joy. Yet, I don't doubt but that his arrival in Rome, his time in Rome was indeed a time of joy for him. First and foremost, he still knew the Lord walking with him every step of the way. Secondly, though he could not visit the church in Rome, the church could and did visit him. Further, he saw the gospel spread by his circumstance into the very courts of Caesar. How else would he have known this opportunity? Here was the living proof in his own life that God does indeed work all things for good.

Again, those commentators saw the resulting Roman trip as God overruling certain aspects of Paul's prayer. Perhaps. But then, perhaps not. Perhaps we simply haven't grasped the depth of Paul's commitment. The request to arrive in Rome was certainly granted. He was certainly delivered from the afflictions in Jerusalem. Many times over we see him escaping the death sentence the Jews had in mind for him. We have every reason to believe that the offering was indeed accepted and put to use by the Jerusalem church. And, we have every reason to believe that Paul's time in Rome was filled with joyful occasions, as he saw God's word spread. What, then, was it that God did not grant?

Unlike so many of us today, Paul wisely left the details in the hands of God. He did not attempt to dictate to God how this deliverance should come, how or when he should travel to Rome, what his joy must be found in. No, he left it all to the will of God. As Matthew Henry writes, "All our joy depends upon the will of God." Paul understood this. We need to likewise understand this, to get this into our heart and mind. If we will insist on telling God how to do His job, we will never know the fullness of joy, because we will both see our requests as having been denied, and we will miss the things God has done, and continues to do in response to our prayers. James tells us that all our plans ought to be conditioned by "if the Lord wills." Likewise, I continue to hold that all our prayers ought to be conditioned by, "as the Lord wills."

God 'directs all our ways by His providence.' Knowing this, it is only sensible and right that we would submit not only our plans, but our prayers to His will. In this way, the Lord of peace grants to us peace, abiding peace, in every circumstance we face. (2Th 3:16). Knowing that He will sanctify us entirely (1Th 5:23), we know that all the things He leads us to and through are working towards that purpose, toward our good. In this, there is also great peace for us. If the circumstance is building in us the sanctity that He requires, the holiness by which alone we will be able to see His face, how much easier it is to accept!

For the last two studies, this word 'providence' has been coming up again and again, and I've put it off, because I am so anxious to see through to the end of this long study. However, God in His providence has been bringing me to a time of vacation, a time which must of necessity interrupt this study's schedule. As in years past, this is an opportunity for me to take a spiritual side-trip, as it were. Given the promptings around this word 'providence,' and its particular importance to me, I believe my side-trip for this vacation time will be an exploration of this curious matter of providence, which I expect I will likely insert after this study, as the Lord wills.