Bible time

I'm trying to read the Bible more. Sometimes it feels like the words are bouncing off my eyes and back out into the stratosphere, so I'm taking a leaf out of my RDI work and slowing it down. (Amazing how well that strategy works for most things.)

My latest idea is to find out the sermon text for the upcoming week and read the passage every day. If I can get one small thing out of it each time, I'll have gained four or five insights myself and hopefully more through the Sunday talk.

So.... today's reading is Romans 1:7-18 or thereabouts...

Romans 1:11-12 I long to see you so that I may impart to you some spiritual gift to make you strong, that is, that you and I may be mutually encouraged by each other's faith.

A spiritual gift that will make them strong is really nothing more complex than being encouraged by Paul's faith. He will also be made strong by being encouraged by their faith!

So, being together is important for strength. But that is not enough. Togetherness must be accompanied by mutually encouraging each other through our faith.

I wonder how intentional I have been about encouraging others with my faith. How could I do it more? And how can I be connected well enough with others to take encouragement from their faith?