BIBLE PASSAGE:
My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive
words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your
faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.
(1 Corinthians 2:4-5)
MEDITATION:
Paul was a unique servant of the Lord. Why? Because before he
was converted and transformed by the Lord, he was a tormentor
and persecutor of those who were followers of the Way
(in other words, those who had an active life of faith in
God and in Jesus as the way to salvation).
When one of God’s chosen apostles (Stephen) was being stoned to
death, Paul was there giving his approval and guarding the clothes
of those throwing stones (apparently, they removed some of their
outer garments so they could throw the stones harder).
And when the blood of your martyr Stephen was
shed, I stood there giving my approval and guarding
the clothes of those who were killing him.
(Acts 22:20)
It seems that Paul never forgot this incident from his ‘dark side’ of life,
but he didn’t allow it to create a debilitating guilt that would prevent
him from serving the Lord after he had been converted.
When reflecting on his pre-Christian life, it appears that Paul
developed a sensitivity of how his words and actions could
impact the lives of others. We can see his sensitivity throughout
his efforts to serve the Lord and it should motivate us to always
be careful of our own words and actions as followers of Jesus.
Another thing we can see about Paul is his feelings of inadequacy.
He didn’t feel like he was a wise and eloquent speaker. Even though
he was a dynamic and impactful servant of the Lord, Paul knew that
his ministry was a result of the Holy Spirit giving him the wisdom of
what to say, how to say it, and when to say it.
In Paul’s mind, the effectiveness of his ministry efforts served as a
clear message to others that the power of the Holy Spirit was working
through him. Why was that important? It meant that others would
not be putting their faith in him, or in anyone else who could speak
eloquently with human wisdom. It meant their faith would be in the
One who had the power to grant them salvation and adopt them into
His heavenly family.
God has given mankind the ability to gain knowledge and wisdom.
However, if one person possessed the greatest amount of wisdom
and knowledge, he or she could only comprehend a small fraction
of the purpose of the Lord and His actions.
There are many things about God that remain a mystery to man.
A ‘mystery’ in scripture, is a previously hidden truth that has now
been divinely revealed, however, it still has supernatural elements
that remain unknown to mankind.
For instance, we don’t understand the intricate pattern of the stars
and their courses, but we know they exist and we know that the One
who created them knows their purpose and direction. Just as surely
as God guides them, He is charting a safe course for each of us. The
question we must ask ourselves is,
“What will I do about the path the Lord has created for me?”
Our inability to fully comprehend the mysteries of God doesn’t
curtail the Christian faith. On the contrary, it enhances our belief.
Why? Because it means we don’t have to understand everything
to know and have faith that God exists.
ACTION:
Just as God created Paul for a specific purpose, He has created you
and me for one as well. Some people tell us to be the best we can be,
but it would be better if they encouraged us to be the best we were
designed by God to be. We need to remember that and look for any
opportunities to encourage those actively serving the Lord.
We need to pause and think about why God created us, and then strive to
be the best we can be for the Lord, and not the best we can be for ourselves,
or for anyone else. When we are focused on being our best for God, we will
by default, be the best we can be for ourselves and others.
Just like Paul, each of us is important to God, so we need to show Him
that He is important to us. as well. Our response to His purpose for us
will determine if we hear Him say to us when we step into eternity,
“Well done, good and faithful servant”
Pray,
“Heavenly Father, thank You for showing me in Your Word that no
matter how misguided or evil a person has become, You still created
them for a specific purpose. This assures me that You have created me
for Your purpose as well. Help me to understand Your purpose for me
and to diligently strive to fulfill that purpose in the way You want me
to. Teach me to look forward to the ways You will use me, instead of
constantly looking back and recalling how I have failed in so many
ways. Don’t allow me to be controlled by the guilt of my past, but show
me how to welcome the power and direction of the Holy Spirit into my
life. Forgive me for living my life to please myself, instead of striving
to live it in a way that pleases You. When my life on earth is over, I
want to hear You say to me, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.
I look forward to knowing and understanding Your purpose for me
and I anticipate the presence and assistance from Your Holy Spirit.”
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