July 11, 2019

THURSDAY, JULY 11, 2019

 

"'Therefore I want you to know that God's salvation has been sent to the Gentiles, and they will listen!'

 

"For two whole years, Paul stayed there in his own rented house and welcomed all who came to see him.  Boldly and without hindrance he preached the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ." (Acts 28:28,30-31)

 

 

"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed,

a stronghold in times of trouble.

Those who know your name will trust in you,

      for you, Lord, have never forsaken those who seek you." (Psalm 9:9,10)

 

 

At the conclusion of Acts, we find Paul having reached Rome and awaiting trial before Caesar's court.  In the meantime, he takes full advantage of his months of waiting, spreading the Gospel message with those who came to visit.  In Paul and other missionaries, we find tremendous resourcefulness and a willing spirit of adaptability. 

 

For the missionary—and for all believers—circumstances are temporary, but God's purposes are eternal. As a result, we may trust in God through temporary rough patches and believe His promises through them. We can actually approach these difficult moments with a sense of anticipation, anxious to see how God will provide. For me, this focus becomes easier in missions settings because of the inherent focus on serving God's purposes rather than our own, sometimes muddled agendas.

 

Yesterday, during a business trip, I saw an artistic postcard in a colleague's office, with the words from "No Longer Slaves": "I am no longer a slave to fear;/ I am a child of God." This reminder tied into some reflections that have recently been stirring in my mind from Romans 6: "In the same way, count yourselves dead to sin but alive to God in Christ Jesus. Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer any part of yourself to sin as an instrument of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer every part of yourself to him as an instrument of righteousness. For sin shall no longer be your master, because you are not under the law, but under grace." (vv. 11–14)

 

What would it look like for us to live with "no fear"? Wouldn't our lives become more fruitful and a greater testimony to God's faithfulness?

Like Paul, for those who have received Christ, we can embrace our identity as the redeemed and "under grace." May we live boldly and navigate changing circumstances with confidence in God's provision and excitement to see what He has in store.

 

 

Lord God, thank You for setting us free from sin and death through the finished work of Christ on the cross. Thank You for the testimony of Paul's boldness in preaching the Gospel and taking advantage of even adverse circumstances. Help us to look beyond difficult circumstances to trust You more deeply and fully. Free us from fear and help us to live righteously before us. Strengthen us to be fully yielded to You rather than sin and to experience true wholeness by the power of Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus's mighty Name, amen.

 

 

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