Relationship & the Christian life

Romans 1:8-10

“First, I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is proclaimed in all the world. For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I mention you always in my prayers, asking that somehow by God's will I may now at last succeed in coming to you.”  (Romans 1:8-10 ESV)

Very often, to my dismay, a pastor or teacher tells the group or class; now let’s have a quick word of prayer before we begin.  I do not know the heart of those who say such foolishness, but it conveys this thought in my mind; we have got to do it so let’s get it over with, or as if what is to come is of much greater value; their sermon or teachings.  This is never the example in the Scripture and it was common that letters to the churches began with a prayer.  Paul was thankful to the Father for these churches in the capital of the Roman Empire, he was grateful that God had given him the mission of teaching and preaching to His church.

As one who has taught, it seems God has put his finger on my life of prayer, in that when I was teaching as well as now, I was, and am an emergency prayer.  When someone called or brought up a request for prayer the norm was it was from a crises and it became my prayer focus.  Now that is not a bad thing but the example from the apostle Paul is a daily concern for those to whom God had given him the privilege of being in his circle of influence, and his hearts desire was to be in fellowship with them.  I am learning to pray for those who I send the “From the Back Porch” to, many I will never meet or know this side of heaven, but I’m praying for your faith to grow and your love for those inside and outside of the Christian faith to be shown daily.

My friend Paul Wendell often reminds me the Christian life is all about relationship, and that 

is the theme of verses 11-12, “For I long to see you, that I may impart to you some spiritual 

gift to strengthen you—that is, that we may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith, 

both yours and mine.”   If you are in the role of teacher or pastor and do not deeply enjoy 

the relationships the Father has placed in your care, you are in the wrong job.  You will not 

find in the apostles teaching or in the example of their ministry an attitude of my job is to 

teach or preach.  Leave me alone, is not in the manufacture’s handbook on living life on 

planet earth.

“Intense love does not measure, it just gives.”  (Mother Teresa)

From the Back Porch,

Bob Rice