Some days before I even set my feet on the ground; I am overwhelmed with the day that lies before me. Meetings, errands, deadlines, bills, appointments, cooking, cleaning….I pull my blanket up over my head and ask God to prepare me for my day.
Coffee in hand I really do try to read my Bible before the day begins, because I know that the words will fortify me for the day. Prepare me for the battles. Smooth the rough waters. All that said there is one thing I have to bring to the table with me to receive my daily dose of sustenance. Faith. I have to faithfully believe that I can do all things through Christ, not just read it…I have to know that I can.
Paul…Now there is a person filled with the Spirit of faith. How did his day begin?
I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me – the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. Acts 21: 23-24
Wow…am I ever so glad that he was faithful and dedicated to finish the race. Bet he never pulled the blanket back over his head. Even though he knew what was before him. Prison. Hardship. Plots to kill him. Trials.
Let’s see…where does he preach the gospel? Um yeah. Everywhere. Publicly. Homes….and later we will see him preaching on the way to prison and even while in prison. And he wasn’t shy about it either. Never hesitating. Not to a select groups but to both Jews and Gentiles.
Suddenly my list of things to do don’t look so daunting.
I can almost hear Paul talking to the Elders in the verses 13 – 37 of Acts. Preparing them for what was to come. What tasks lay before them? Warning them to be on their guard. But that was not what burdened them the most. Their grief was from knowing that they would never see him again. I am not only in awe of Paul’s faith, tenacity and humility…but for that respect that he gained by preaching the whole will of God. Acts 20:27
Not making God seem fun and entertaining. Just telling the truth. Teaching and preaching about God’s sovereignty.
Paul can say with complete confidence that he had run the race without hesitation and without any thought for himself, he was focused on the finish; he knew that he had faithfully proclaimed the whole will of God everywhere he went. He was confident that he was innocent of the blood of all men because of his urgency to preach the will of God. He didn’t hold back. He wasn’t worried that he would offend someone, or seem intolerant, close minded…He was only worried about getting the word to all the people.
Urgency to preach the will of God.
Where is that on my list?
Father…maybe I would not dread my days if the first and only thing on my list is to “preach your will”, then everything else would fall right into place because sharing you and your will with others should be my top priority everyday. Here I am again surrendering my day and my list of tasks to you. Prepare me for this day Lord. Prepare me do your will with Paul’s humility and faith. In Jesus name. Amen
Cindi
From the archives. Originally posted on January 20, 2011.
Sixty-six books in a year 