I don’t know about you, but I wasn’t too excited about getting up this morning. Thank God for coffee!! As I sipped the first batch I read through chapter 4 in 2 Timothy and something struck me. Hard. Within the first few verses, Paul encourages Timothy to share persistently no matter how convenient the moment happens to be for him. A devotional I was following spoke deeper into that, noting that “we believe in Christ today because of people like Timothy were faithful to their mission… preaching the Word of God is the most important responsibility the Church and its members have been given.”
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never fully processed the fact that because of these faithful believers risking it all so many generations ago, I have had the privilege to know and have a personal Christ. Of course I’ve looked up to them as bold models for proclaiming truth and studied how believers multiplied through their obedience to God’s work, but I’ve never really thought about MY OWN faith possibly resulted from the work they did years ago.
I don’t know about you, but this made me think “what if these believers that we read about and learn from didn’t embrace their job and didn’t share? What if the Church didn’t multiply because they didn’t follow God’s command to share? Would I have gotten the privilege to hear the Gospel and know Christ like I do now?”
I don’t know about you, but this reality put an emphasis on urgency for me. Of course my faith today is a result of God’s doing, but I also know that God calls EACH one of us to work for Him and share. When we don’t do our job for whatever reason, our lack of sharing can also affect those around us. Living in today’s world, people who literally have never heard the truth live are now living everywhere. I have access to them. YOU have access to them. WE are a part of the Church. WE are called to share. The preacher, the Starbucks Barista, the Apple tech, the construction worker, the full-time missionary- WE are a part of the Body and WE have been given a job. Who are you going to share with this week?
I don’t know about you, but I’ve never fully processed the fact that because of these faithful believers risking it all so many generations ago, I have had the privilege to know and have a personal Christ. Of course I’ve looked up to them as bold models for proclaiming truth and studied how believers multiplied through their obedience to God’s work, but I’ve never really thought about MY OWN faith possibly resulted from the work they did years ago.
I don’t know about you, but this made me think “what if these believers that we read about and learn from didn’t embrace their job and didn’t share? What if the Church didn’t multiply because they didn’t follow God’s command to share? Would I have gotten the privilege to hear the Gospel and know Christ like I do now?”
I don’t know about you, but this reality put an emphasis on urgency for me. Of course my faith today is a result of God’s doing, but I also know that God calls EACH one of us to work for Him and share. When we don’t do our job for whatever reason, our lack of sharing can also affect those around us. Living in today’s world, people who literally have never heard the truth live are now living everywhere. I have access to them. YOU have access to them. WE are a part of the Church. WE are called to share. The preacher, the Starbucks Barista, the Apple tech, the construction worker, the full-time missionary- WE are a part of the Body and WE have been given a job. Who are you going to share with this week?
By: C.B. in New York City
Thanks Gabe, for these encouraging words. Your voice is heard and is very uplifting to my Christian walk.