What would you do, if you figured out that absolute last opportunity to speak to an unbeliever, is today? A co-worker, a friend, a person that serves you coffee every morning on your way to work? Would you share Jesus?
What about your believing friends? Your prayer group or bible study? What would you talk about? What would you discuss? What theological sticking points will be up for debate?
I was reading the last part of Acts 20. Paul just went through the night teaching, so urgent to transfer the truth of God and Christ and the Holy Spirit, that a death and resurrection didn’t stop him. It was just the tea-break in that session! But when it came to the very last moment, the moment before getting onto the ship, he condensed it down to literally 2 sentences & 4 points. The core of his message:
1. The message of His Grace is all you need
2. God’s blessings are imparted through this message of Grace
3. His blessing is a spiritual inheritance, given to all of His children
4. Give. Give more.
Which made me think. What if today was my last chance. What if the people coming across my path today is their very last opportunity? When the Spirit prompts, will I speak boldly? Will I pray for them quietly? Will I be too afraid to offend? Or worse… will I be too afraid to be judged? Not on my words, but on my past actions and and doings and lifestyle. Or even worse… my present lifestyle?
Will I allow the devil to remind me of absolutely every reason why I have no right or authority to speak?
Or can I gather the courage to speak, can I share without being concerned that my life with all its flaws will be revealed in an effort to silence me and the message of Grace? Can this “work in progress” gather his voice? Maybe… if the Holy Spirit is my voice, and God is my Strength, and Christ is my reason… what I was before wont matter?
We applaud the hard worker, not just the millionaire. Maybe we should have grace for ourselves, working towards a better life in Christ, working towards holiness… not just those saints that achieved it?
“…And so now, I entrust you into God’s hands and the message of his grace, which is all that you need to become strong. All of God’s blessings are imparted through the message of his grace, which he provides as the spiritual inheritance given to all of his holy ones…”
(Acts 20:32)
