Devotional: Romans 16:1-16
In perhaps the most theologically-packed books of the Bible, Paul's conclusion of his letter to the Romans strongly emphasizes committed and intimate relationships. Paul names 25 individuals and mentions plenty of others! Moreover, his description of these people imply commitment and intimacy (e.g., "risked their necks for my life," "worked hard for you," "my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners," "approved in Christ"). What this shows is that theology is only as valuable as how much it translates into love and relationships. The relationships that are implied in Romans 16 are ones where people have endured through many difficulties for an extended period of time, and yet they still love one another with intimacy.
All of this reminds me of how much more thankful and prayerful we ought to be for our Uptown community. Not only has God deepened our understanding of his character and involvement in our lives, he has also been using our community so that we can experience this through committed and intimate relationships! I've been hearing (and experiencing for myself) this great dynamic from our Life Groups. Let's continue to pray that our theology can translate into committed and intimate relationships!