READING: 1 Samuel 18-19, 1 Chronicles 3, Psalm 59, Acts 13
All of us who are believers must be ready to tell the good news of Jesus at any moment. Only God knows when the door will be open, and we must be prepared to walk through it—like Paul and Barnabas did in today’s reading.
When Paul and Barnabas made their way to Pisidian Antioch, they did what they often did: they went to the synagogue on the Sabbath day. There, they would likely find some folks interested in learning more about following God. We don’t know for sure, but it’s also possible that the ruling elders of the synagogue had invited them to be ready to talk at the appropriate time. However it happened, the leaders finished their lesson on the Law and the prophets, and then gave Paul the floor.
And, as we might expect, away he went with the gospel! In a brief but detail-filled teaching, he took his hearers from God’s calling out His people to God’s sending His Son to die for the sins of the world. Paul proclaimed to them the offer of forgiveness of sins, and he warned them not to reject God’s plan. The results were at least two-fold: some wanted to hear more and believed, and some grew jealous of Paul’s growing popularity and willingness to go to the Gentiles. Persecution set it, but it did not ultimately stop Paul from going to the next place to preach.
He was compelled to talk about Jesus—and so should we be.
PRAYER: “God, make me ever ready to speak about Your Son.”
TOMORROW’S READING: 1 Samuel 20; 1 Chronicles 4; Psalm 56, 57, 142; Acts 14