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"Did I show levity, . . . . . or do I plan after the flesh, that the yea with me must be
always yea, and the nay always nay, as it is with a man of the world who makes his plans
independently of God's overruling of them?"
It may appear to be a very high standard of righteousness that makes a man's word his
bond: it may actually be a higher one still for a man to appear untrustworthy because he
desires ever to obey the higher will of God. To recognize such a state makes the added
"D.5:" a sacred duty and no longer a pious convention. Consistency has sometimes been
obeyed before the claims of added light, and then humbling for a leader to confess to
making a mistake, but what a trustworthy leader is he who will make the confession!
Paul's projected visit to Rome.
Paul had many times prayed for and planned a journey to Rome. His non-appearance
he says must not be put down either to fear or laxity.
"Oftentimes I purposed to come unto you, but was let hitherto" (Rom. 1: 13).
In chapter 15: he gives expression to the latest plan he had devised and the grounds
upon which it rested. We are men, we make plans, our grounds may be as true as the
apostle's, but our ability to forecast all that God has for us to do may as signally fail.
Therefore it will be no waste of time to learn from the apostle here. He had fully
preached the gospel, and had striven to preach where Christ was unnamed, and had
accomplished a grand circle from Jerusalem unto Illyricum:--
"For which cause also I have been much hindered from coming to you" (Rom. 15: 19-22).
He now saw that his work in those parts was done, and this combining with a great
desire for many years to visit Rome, his plan was that after taking the contribution he had
for the poor saints at Jerusalem, he would journey to Spain and on his way visit Rome
and be somewhat filled with their company. Let us view this "plan" in the light of
"the last word". His estimate was correct as to his having finished his appointed ministry
in those parts. His desire to visit Rome was granted, and his assurance that when he
did visit Rome he would come "in the fullness of the blessing of the gospel of Christ"
(Rom. 15: 29) was fulfilled in a sense that Paul then could not conceive. He asked the
saints' prayers that he may be "delivered from them that do not believe in Judaea"
(Rom. 15: 31).
This apprehension of the apostle was prophetic. It was the instrumental cause of his
journey to Rome, and also of his imprisonment. It will be seen that God's answer to
Paul's prayers transcended in spiritual value the highest flight of his petitions. It was a
glorious thing to contemplate a visit to Spain with the gospel, but seen from the
standpoint of history it was infinitely more glorious for Paul to have been cast into prison,
there to receive the crown of all revelation. This story should be a comfort to us. It may
be that we see clearly that another phase of our experiences is closing. We pray, we plan,
we think we see, we go partly forward. Doors close, we appear in the eyes of others to