Monthly newsletter December 2011

For my quiet time recently I have been reading Acts 17 to 21. This is an exciting description of how Paul and a number of his friends travelled around some of the Eastern Mediterranean countries sharing their knowledge and experience of Jesus. The reaction to the message was very varied, some were angry, others violently angry, more were indifferent but a good number listened, became disciples of Jesus and joined one of the new churches. Paul was always looking for opportunities to tell people of the one who had changed his life. Often this was at great risk to his friends and himself. On a number of occasions they had to run away but he still shared Jesus at the next stop.

Paul was guided by what happened to him but at other times knew what God wanted him to do and where he had to go. The particular incident that has stood out for me while reading these passages this time is Paul’s certainty that he had to go to Jerusalem, even though many fellow Christians advised him not to. One, Agabus came down to see him when Paul was near Jerusalem . He went up to Paul, took his belt and dramatically tied him self, hands and feet and then said: “The Jews in Jerusalem are going to do this to the man who owns this belt and then hand him over to godless unbelievers.” Paul then said even so I know Jesus wants me to go to Jerusalem and so I must let the Master do what he wants through my obedience.

He doesn’t normally ask us to risk our lives but some Christian have been asked, for example North Koreans have gone back into North Korea to share Jesus there, even though imprisonment and probably death will be the outcome. However we may be asked to do stuff for Him that we find uncomfortable or inconvenient, am I, or are you ready?

David Mash
December 2011