Thursday, June 27

THURSDAY, JUNE 27, 2019

"One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: 'Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.  For I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city.'  So Paul stayed in Corinth for a year and a half, teaching them the word of God." (Acts 18:9-11)

Throughout Paul's ministry, he undertook many transitions, moving from city to city and interacting with many different groups and co-workers.  At this moment, the Lord Jesus came to Paul to reassure him in a period of transition:  shifting the focus of his ministry from the Jewish synagogues to the Gentiles.  While he would face much opposition, Jesus affirmed that "I am with you" and that Paul would be kept safe.  These words must have given life and hope to Paul, whose striving for the Gospel brought on stress, loneliness, and heartache.

I subscribe to a daily quote e-mail list, and today's entry featured C. T. Studd, a British missionary to both India and China.  Aside from having one of the all-time great names, he followed boldly in Paul's footsteps and willingly surrendered a life of great comfort and success for hardship.  Both Studd and Paul trusted in Jesus's promise:  "It is not the healthy who need a doctor, but the sick. I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance." (Luke 5:31,32)

In light of this truth, love for others compels us to become friends with those who haven't yet received Christ.  Paul becomes friends with Titius Justus, a Gentile who worshipped God.  This transformation also touched the synagogue leader, Crispus, and his household.  Ultimately, many Corinthians were baptized.

From Paul's journeys and stories of great missionary heroes like C. T. Studd, we recognize that God does move powerfully in specific moments.  Yet, while we trust God for His miraculous intervention, we bring the crucial element of faithfulness to the table.  Without faithfully following Christ and trusting Him at His promises, the Gospel seed remains unplanted.  We then must continue to persevere through difficulties and keep planting that seed into people's lives.  We believe God for a great harvest, and we live our faith by serving as a faithful farmers.

Where is God calling you to invest your life?  How could you trust Him more today?  What promises and reassurances has He given you for today?

Lord God, thank You for calling us to follow Your Son and to experience the great joy of seeing our lives and others' transformed by the Gospel.  Help us serve as faithful farmers.  Help us to build loving friendships with others and to have opportunity to share the Gospel message with them.  Please soften the Gospel soil in our hometown and throughout Connecticut.  Please move in our day so that we might see a great harvest.  In Jesus's Name, amen.