159. Prayers Of St. Paul For The Church At Rome.

Prayers Of St. Paul For The Church At Rome. The Prayer as recorded.—Romans 1:8-12.

Another Prayer.—Romans 10:1.

Another Prayer.—Romans 15:5-6; Romans 15:13.

Another Prayer.—Romans 15:30-33.

St. Paul, like all who feel an interest in the church of God, ever remembered her at the mercy-seat. The church at Rome was large, and among her numbers were persons of consideration, as well as young converts; he longs to commune with, and to encourage them, and in his earnest love for them exhibits a tenderness and watchful care that shows itself more particularly than in anything else, in his constant prayer for their spiritual welfare; “thus feeding the Church of God,” in his absence, with food from heaven.

He seems to feel in his inmost soul the great price that has been paid to purchase souls, and watches with a prayerful, intense interest, the flock over which the Holy Ghost had made him overseer, calling often upon that God for her welfare, “who had brought him out of darkness into marvelous light.” St. Paul’s faith was constantly kept bright by continuing in prayer. This is the reason he so constantly urges this duty upon the Church, assuring them that the spirit will help all infirmities, and teach each to pray aright. As a consequent upon these unceasing devotions, Paul tells us we shall grow in grace, and in the knowledge of the truth, and each heart shall be full of that love, which, in his own forcible language, is described as surpassing knowledge.

Every Christian should pray often and much for the Church of God, not for this or that particular branch of it alone, but for the whole Church; Paul prayed for it, and condemns, through all his writings, a spirit of favoritism or partiality, and is ready to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to all, and to pray for all. He says, “For by one spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one spirit. But now are there many members, but one body.”— 1 Corinthians 12:13. For each of these members or branches we are enjoined to pray, to cultivate for each that spirit of charity which thinketh no evil, and is not easily provoked, to quell every feeling which should lead the eye to say to the hand, I have no need of thee, or the head to the feet, I have no need of you. If this member or that branch of the Church of God is suffering, let every other branch suffer with it, and pray for it. These are the lessons Paul would teach, viz., unity of spirit, and Christian charity.