It is certainly Good News to know that Jesus Christ is Lord. Our Lord is also our friend. He laid down his life for us. Paul has been consumed with sharing this truth since his fateful day on the road to Damascus. He has now devoted himself to making sure everyone knows of the love of Jesus.
He seems particularly drawn to the Christians in Rome. It’s not known for sure who started the church, or what the
How often do you pray for your brothers and sisters of the faith? Paul models for us prayers day and night for people he’s never met. It’s easy to pray for those we know personally. But what about those we don’t know? There are prayer needs all over the world. We may not know what our Christian brothers and sisters need, but surely, like Paul, we can pray for their needs in sharing the Good News.
Do you ever feel discouraged in your faith? It’s easy to let doubt creep in when prayer seems to go unanswered or situations worsen instead of resolve. We are never promised an easy, trouble-free life. We need to rely on other believers to encourage us. Likewise, we need to be an encouraging source for others who are struggling. It’s a beautiful community to be part of. I feel sad for people who have chosen not to be involved with their church family.
So how do we find opportunities to share the Good News? Look around. Ask God to open your eyes. There are probably many openings we miss every day. We should not be ashamed of the Good News. Remember, “it is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes—the Jew first and also the Gentile. This Good News tells us how God makes us right in his sight.”
Brandon Heath has a beautiful song about asking God for eyes to see. We used it for a couple of weeks during worship recently to help us look outside ourselves to see the needs around us. Listen & watch here.
Let’s pray. Yes, Lord, give me your eyes so I can see who needs a word from you today. May I live my life so that others will see you in me. Help me to set aside all of my fears and failures. You have redeemed me. My future is secure with you and I am beyond grateful. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
