Romans 15:23–24 I no longer have any room for work in these regions

Romans 15:23–24

[23] But now, since I no longer have any room for work in these regions, and since I have longed for many years to come to you, [24] I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while. (ESV)

Are you the kind of person who finishes a task? Or do you get started on a project with great zeal, only to run out of steam, not actually completing what you started? I think the majority of people give up before they finish what they started. The Apostle Paul was different. He was the kind of man who was committed to a task until it was finished.

In these verses Paul says that he no longer has any room for work in the regions where he is currently writing from. Paul is writing the letter to Romans from Corinth. He is saying that he has finished his work. The Gospel has been preached so effectively that he needs to move on to other areas. This would include his desire to preach the Gospel in Spain.

The Apostle Paul is a great example for all of us. Not only is it impressive that he finished what he started, but even more impressive is that the task was spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ. We tend to be so intimidated when it comes to sharing our faith in Christ Jesus. Paul has committed himself to that task and has to move on because the message has been effectively communicated in the area of Corinth.

I would love to be in a situation where I had to move because the area in which I lived had become saturated with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I would love to be so used by the Lord Jesus that he would move me on to another area. Like many other people, I struggle with being the kind of person who gets things partially finished.

God has commissioned every one of us to make disciples of Jesus Christ. Have you begun that task? Ask the Lord to empower you by His Holy Spirit. The work that God begins He finishes. Let him finish the task of making disciples through you and through me.

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