Extend Mercy and Welcome Others

Take 2-3 minutes to quiet yourself and ask God to speak to you today through your devotional time.  

Reading: Romans 15:1–13

Be sure to highlight or note anything that stands out to you while you read.  
After reading the passage, take the next 5-10 minutes and spend time reflecting on what you read. You can write these things down in a journal or record them in your phone. Be attentive to both what you highlighted in the passage and what is going on in your life.

Jesus welcomed people who were often rejected by others, demonstrating that God's love reaches beyond social expectations and personal preferences. In Romans 15, Paul calls believers to bear with one another, pursue unity, and welcome others in the same way Christ has welcomed us. We all depend on the mercy and grace of God, so we have no reason to treat others as projects or keep our distance because their lives are complicated. Instead, we can build relationships with humility, remembering that God is at work in people long before we understand their stories. When we extend the welcome we have received from Jesus, we become part of His work of helping people everywhere discover His love and hope.

Is there someone you have kept at a distance because of their background, struggles, or differences, and what could welcoming that person look like in your life?
        
Now, take 10 minutes to seek God in prayer…  

1. Begin your time in prayer by taking 1-3 minutes to sit in silence (You can take longer if you sense the Spirit already beginning to speak to you).  
2. Pray through the things you sensed God speaking to you through the Scriptures or pray the following prayer: Jesus, thank You for welcoming us with grace and mercy. Help us extend that same welcome to people who are different from us or whose lives may be difficult to understand. Give us patience to walk alongside others without judgment and faith to trust You with the results. May our relationships help more people discover Your love and hope. Amen.
   
3. Close by taking 5 minutes to sit in silence, asking God if there is anything else He wants to speak to you today.  

Faith Step:
Take one intentional step toward someone outside your usual circle by starting a conversation, extending an invitation, or offering a practical expression of welcome.