The Transforming Grace Of Goodness

“I urge you to take some food. You need it to survive. Not one of you will lose a single hair from his head.” After he said this, he took some bread and gave thanks to God in from of them all. Then he broke and began to eat. – Acts 27:34-35

Paul was on a prison ship being taken to Rome when a huge storm caught them and was about to destroy the ship. Paul had been warned in the Spirit that disaster awaited them if they continued on their journey and he had urged them to stay in Crete, but they ventured out into the open seas and were caught in a terrible storm.

They had struggled against the storm and sea for a long time until finally the sailors gave up any hope of survival. Then an angel appeared to Paul and told him that the ship would be lost but not one life would be lost if they stayed with the ship.

After fourteen days Paul brought the men together and told them to eat. That is where our passage for today begins. Paul saw the necessity for the men to come together to eat and pray. He saw they were exhausted and needed a little rest. He also knew that if they ate their strength would be renewed and their courage would return.

There are many lessons for us in this story. One of those lessons is that when times get tough we must persevere, keep hope and not abandon ship. That is one of the reasons we need each other. We need someone among us who will encourage us to continue pushing toward the goal and who will realize when we need to replenish our energy and courage.

Another lesson to learn is that we need the fellowship of people who are in the same boat as we are. We need times of setting down with others in the faith and hear what God is doing in them and through them. We need to share where we are on our journey of faith.

I was once in a communion service with a group of ministers. After receiving the bread and the juice I was suddenly struck with a new identity with those brethren. We had as one partaken of the bread and juice that symbolized the body of Christ. We were now members of that same body.

Prayer: Sometimes I become impatient in trials and want to do things my way. Grant me the grace to trust you and others. Amen.

Add To Your Faith… Knowledge

Principle: It is our confidence, or faith, in Christ as the revelation of God which gives us the conviction for a life of being committed to the principles of God’s word.

Affirmation: I am daily adding knowledge of God to my mind and heart and faith in his word gives me the conviction for a life committed to the principles of the faith.

Reflection: In order to continually be effective in our faith we must establish the pattern of adding knowledge of God and his plan to our heart and mind. What can you do to make adding knowledge to your faith a reality in your life?


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Committed To Serving Him

Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were May Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joses, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons.  – Matthew 27:56 

It was the saddest day in the lives of those who followed Jesus. He had endured a sham of a trial, brutal beatings, then the cross. The crowds had deserted him and his disciples were nowhere to be seen. All that is recorded is that there were a few women who stood at a distance and watched. They had come to care for his needs.

There was Mary Magdalene, the woman who many believe was delivered from demons and freed from prostitution. There was also Mary the mother of James and Joses and thought also to be the mother of Jesus. Then there was the unnamed mother of the “sons of Zebedee.” This mother had hoped that the Christ would have a special place for her sons.

All of those who stood watching from a distance had a vested interest in the one who had just died on the cross. It was this connection of concern that drew them to risk their own safety to care for the needs of Jesus.. 

Some have commented about the fact that they watched from a distance and have left the impression that these women were less than fully committed. The point is that they did follow him and that they were there to minister to his needs on the day of his crucifixion.

The message I see in this vignette is that these women were willing to serve the one who had so greatly impacted their life. These are the ones who went to the Grave early on the morning of resurrection to prepare the body of Jesus for its final interment  and they are the ones who found the empty tomb. It was their commitment to Jesus that led them to discover the resurrection.

Their commitment to the Christ took them to their greatest sorrow and ultimately to their greatest joy. We all need that kind of commitment.
Prayer: Lord, you gave so much and I give so little. Grant me the grace to commitment my life fully to serving your kingdom. In Jesus name, amen.

Principle: It was this connection of concern that drew the women to Jesus on the cross. They risked their own safety to care for the needs of Jesus. We must also persevere in our commitment to serve.

Affirmation: I have realized the cost of commitment and I am willing to risk my own safety and security to serve him in the best way I can.

Reflection: We are often moved by the emotion of the moment, as when the people hailed Jesus as the king when he entered Jerusalem, but the test of commitment is our willingness to serve when our own safety is at risk.

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