Charles Spurgeon Commentary Romans 1:10

"making request, if by any means now at length I may be prospered by the will of God to come unto you." — Romans 1:10 (ASV)

Paul wanted to go to Rome; but I do not suppose that he ever thought he would go there at the expense of the government, with an imperial guard to take care of him all the way. We pray, and God gives us the answer to our petitions; but often in a way we would never have dreamed of. Paul goes to Rome as a prisoner for Christ's sake. Now, suppose Paul had gone to Rome in any other capacity, he could not have seen Caesar, and he could not have obtained admission into Caesar's house.

The prison of the Palatine was just under the vast palace of the Caesars; and everyone in the house could come into the guard-room and have a talk with Paul if they were inclined to do so. I suppose that whatever I might be willing to pay, I could not have preached in the palace of the Queen, even in this nominally Christian country; but Paul was installed as a royal chaplain over Caesar's household in the guard-room of the Palatine prison.

How wonderfully God works to accomplish His divine purposes!