God Responds to Prayer in Just the Right Way, with Just the Right Timing

HOW GOD ANSWERS OUR PRAYERS can surprise us. For example, Paul makes two prayer requests in Romans 15:30-32. First, he asks these Christians in Rome to pray that he would "be delivered from the unbelievers in Judea" during his upcoming trip to Jerusalem. Second, the focus of that trip was to deliver a financial gift from the Gentile churches in Greece to impoverished Jewish Christians. So he asks these disciples to pray that his "service for Jerusalem may be acceptable to the saints". He then goes on (in v. 32) to provide at least one reason for these requests: "that by God’s will I may come to you with joy and be refreshed in your company" (i.e., that things would go smoothly with the visit, so he could then proceed to Rome). As the Apostle explained only a few verses earlier: "I hope to see you in passing as I go to Spain, and to be helped on my journey there by you, once I have enjoyed your company for a while." (15:24) 

So did God answer these prayer requests? Yes! But probably not how Paul envisaged. While we aren't told how the financial gift was received, the book of Acts does tell us that not long after Paul arrived in Jerusalem (Acts 21:17), he was attacked by a Jewish mob (21:30). But as he was being beaten, Roman soldiers "delivered" him from his attackers (21:31-32). And amazingly, civil officials continued to deliver him from Jewish attempts on his life (23:12) for over two years (as he waited in custody). What happened next? After appealing his case to Caesar (25:11), Paul finally traveled to Rome. But he did this as a Roman prisoner (27:1), not a Spain-bound missionary operating on his own timeline. And yet, the closing verses of Acts confirm that, after arriving in Rome...

He lived there two whole years at his own expense, and welcomed all who came to him, [31] proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance. (Acts 28:30–31)

Undoubtedly, during those two years Paul "enjoyed" and was "refreshed" by the "company" of his brothers and sisters in the Roman churches, just as he had hoped. Though it must have been a very hard road for Paul, God had heard those Roman prayers, and according to his unrivaled wisdom (cf. Romans 11:33), had responded to them in just the right way, with just the right timing. In light of his "all things work together for good" purposes for us (Romans 8:28), may we continue to pray and be open to the often unexpected ways God answers the prayers of his people.