Wed., 2/13/19 Devotion (Rom. 16:1)

Today's encouragement comes from Romans 16:1, where we read these words:

"I commend to you Phoebe our sister, who is a servant of the church in Cen-chrea . . . "

What a fantastic thing to have said about a person (above). First, the great Apostle Paul "commends" Phoebe. Second, she is a "sister," a part of a great covenantal family. Thirdly, she is a "servant of the church." Phoebe's life is valuable, and well-spent. Fourthly, she is a "servant" of a particular church—the one in "Cenchrea." Phoebe did not content herself with her association with the "invisible" church. Instead, she was committed to a local one.

Phoebe also most-likely conveyed the Epistle of Romans—the greatest letter ever written in the history of the world—to the church in Rome. Godly women of the church are exalted in Biblical Christianity. Their roles are vitally impor-tant. The true church cannot prosper or thrive without them.

[Puritan quote of the day: "Christ does His church more good now that He is in heaven . . . “ —Richard Sibbes, in, "Glorious Freedom"]