Wednesday, July 29, 2009

Get You Some Christian Friends! : Romans 15 & 16

Dean and I had just joined Community Bible Church when we were married in 1998. We met several other couples our age playing on a co-ed softball team with the church. One of the couples invited us to their bible study. We didn't know when we started that bible study how important that group would be to us. We didn't have any family in San Antonio, and our bible study group quickly became our family. In late 1999 and early 2000, we lost two babies as a result of first term miscarriages. We were devastated to say the least, but our bible study group was there to pick us up. Some of them brought us meals. Some prayed with us. Some just came by and hung out with us. They encouraged us and reminded us the Lord had great plans in mind for us. We would have never made it through those days without our Christian friends. We praise God for them!



In Romans 15 and 16 Paul is closing his letter. He's saying greetings to all those brothers and sisters in Christ and telling them of his travel plans. When I read these chapters, I was immediately reminded how important it is to have Christian friends and how we should be treating our Christian friends. In Romans 15:14- 15 Paul says "I am fully convinced, dear brothers and sisters, that you are full of goodness. You know these things so well that you are able to teach others all about them. Even so, I have been bold enough to emphasize some of these points, knowing that all you need is this reminder from me." We all should be doing this. We all should be reminding our Christian brothers and sisters of God's great plans. Later on in chapter 15 Paul talks about being "eager to visit you" and that he is to "take a gift to the Christians there" in Jerusalem. He was encouraging his brothers and sisters in Christ. Isn't that what we should be doing? I love Paul's example here. It's simple brotherly love. And then in 15:30 Paul writes, "join me in my struggle by praying to God for me". For sure, we should be praying for each other. To me that is the basic support system for our sisters and brothers!



On May 2, 2001 our little Leanna Grace was born. It was and still is the best day of our lives. We had cried so many tears and prayed so many prayers asking for a child. And then we got Leanna. It was a wonderful, wonderful day. And guess who came to visit us in the hospital that day? Almost every one of our bible study friends! They had come to celebrate with us after having prayed with us for so long for this child. I'll never forget their kindness to us...their support...their encouragement...their prayers. They were Jesus to us, and they made us want to be Jesus to others.



Today is the last post for this Romans study. I've enjoyed going back through the book of Romans and I hope you have too. Please post your comments on the blog, or email them to me to stephieb@swbell.net. I'd love to hear from you.



If you are in the San Antonio area and looking for a women's bible study group, I'll be meeting at Community Bible Church each Tuesday from 11:30 to 1:00pm starting September 8th. I'd love to have you join our group. We're going to do a study this fall called "Anointed, Transformed, and Redeemed: A study of David" by Beth Moore, Priscilla Shiver, and Kay Arthur. It will be fun and I'm sure the Lord will teach us something new.

1 comment:

Stephanie Blakeslee said...

A note from my mom:

Yes, the Lord has great plans for all of us! You know, at the end of the day our success and overcoming adversity is all about Him! I think of how He has blessed you and Dean with these wonderful Children after all those dark days of loss! I think of all the troubles and trials I have faced, as well, and truly know what "success" is all about and knowing that God helps you pull out and succeed or overcome that loss….why?.....So that you can make him known!