Lessons from Romans (and Mrs. Right)

Dear Reader,

This morning during my Bible reading, Romans 15:4-5 really spoke to my heart. As I sat with my coffee and Bible, these verses about endurance and encouragement made me reflect deeply on what it means to receive others. My wife is such a beautiful example of this - I've watched her genuinely receive people with Christ's love time after time, always extending grace and hope to others.

Paul writes that "the things that were written previously were written for our instruction," and I'm so grateful for how the Lord teaches me through both His Word and through observing my wife's living pattern. She has this natural way of looking past differences and seeing Christ in others that really embodies what Paul is talking about here.

When I read about "the God of endurance and encouragement," I could see how the Lord has been developing these qualities in her life. She consistently demonstrates that patient endurance with others, always hoping and believing in their growth in the Lord. I have so much to learn from her example.

Had to pause my reading to really consider this: receiving others according to Christ requires these divine qualities of endurance and encouragement. My wife seems to understand this intuitively - she never measures others by superficial standards or expectations, but genuinely receives them in Christ.

Writing this down as a reminder: Unity doesn't come from uniformity. Through watching my wife, I've seen how receiving others isn't about finding people who match our preferences or practices. It's about focusing on Christ in them. Her ability to do this consistently amazes me.

Note to self:

Remember that God is the God of endurance - He can help me receive others as naturally as my wife does
Look for signs of Christ in others rather than looking for agreement with preferences
Trust God's work in each person's life, maintaining that hope that my wife always seems to have
Ask for His encouragement when my own hope for unity feels weak
I'm grateful for this reminder that building true Christian unity isn't about finding people who are just like us, but about receiving all those who belong to Christ. My wife's example shows me daily what this looks like in practice. It's encouraging to know that God promises to supply the endurance and encouragement we need for this.

Looking back at this passage, I feel both challenged and inspired. Challenged to grow in receiving others according to Christ, and inspired by having such a living pattern of this truth right in my own home. The Lord truly is the God of endurance and encouragement!

What a blessing to be able to see these truths lived out through my wife's life as we both grow in receiving others according to Christ.

Until tomorrow, Chaplain Mark