Making request if by any means now at length I might have a prosperous journey by the will of God to come to you. Romans 1:10
How would you define a prosperous journey? That was what the apostle Paul prayed for, and he eventually did reach Rome and meet some of the Christians to whom he was writing. But as he penned the words of our text, Paul could never have imagined what things would happen to him before he got to Rome. He probably had in mind a quiet and enjoyable trip with some friends along the highways that lead to Rome. But that wasn’t what happened. No, Paul experienced a violent and fanatic persecution by the Jews as they sought to kill him. He also spent considerable time in Roman custody, appearing before various governors and kings. Still in custody, he experienced a shipwreck that threatened the lives of many people. To top it off, he was bitten by a poisonous snake during his ordeals. He made it to Rome, but was it a prosperous journey?
Looking back over the journey, Paul would probably have said it was indeed prosperous for several reasons. Firstly, it was a journey in which Paul was assured several times that he was within the will of God. And operating within the will of God is the most prosperous route for any Christian in any endeavour. Paul’s experiences also brought him into contact with many people he would never have encountered had he made the quiet little journey that he was expecting. Large companies of Jews and Gentiles, as well as those governors and kings he was called before, heard the Gospel for the first and only time. Doors of opportunity were opened that might never have occurred had Paul not faced all the persecutions and trials. Lastly, Paul’s arrival in Rome in custody brought him into contact with the leaders of the known world at that time. Despite his imprisonment, Paul had many opportunities to spread the Gospel to all who would listen, including the dozens of Roman soldiers who spent time guarding him. It wasn’t the journey that Paul expected, but it was certainly prosperous.
In light of Paul’s prosperous journey, how do we view our journey through our life of Christian testimony? Is everything going as we had expected when we started out? No, I didn’t think so, because my journey is not according to what I had expected, either. But the trials and catastrophes and changes of plans that have marked our pathway until now have not necessarily been without profit. We have encountered people God can bless through us. We have learned valuable lessons that a life of ease or comfort would never provide. We have been safely preserved until today, and experienced God’s never-failing mercies and goodness.
If we ask the Lord for a prosperous journey, let us accept the way He delivers on our request, and accept His definition of prosperity. – Jim MacIntosh