Romans 1:8-12I thank God through Jesus for every one of you. That’s first. People everywhere keep telling me about your lives of faith, and every time I hear them, I thank him.And God, whom I so love to worship and serve by spreading the good news of his Son—the Message!—knows that every time I think of you in my prayers, which is practically all the time, I ask him to clear the way for me to come and see you. The longer this waiting goes on, the deeper the ache.I so want to be there to deliver God’s gift in person and watch you grow stronger right before my eyes! But don’t think I’m not expecting to get something out of this, too! You have as much to give me as I do to you.Paul loved the Jews, his people. And Paul loved the Gentiles, his people in Christ. He had so much compassion for God, for the work God had given him, and for the people under his care.Paul was grateful. He was thankful. He thanked God on every occasion. And he thought of the different people that he had met and that he had yet to meet. He ached to bring them the message God had for them.He knew that they would grow stronger from the message. And he knew that watching them would encourage him.He also understood that even the youngest in age physically and the youngest in age spiritually could teach him new things about God. And he was thankful for that.Lord, help me to be compassionate today. Fill me with your grace and mercy, your kindness and gentleness, your love and your joy. Fill me so that I can give to others.Take my hand today Lord and show me how I can bless others around me today. Bring others to my thoughts and remind me to pray for them. Remind me that all these people are precious to you. And I can learn from all of them.Guide my steps today as I walk through the path you have given me. Give me wisdom to know just what to do.