Friday 12 August, 2016

8 Paul entered the synagogue. There he spoke boldly for three months. He gave good reasons for believing the truth about God’s kingdom. 9 But some of them wouldn’t listen. They refused to believe. In public they said evil things about the Way of Jesus. So Paul left them. He took the believers with him. Each day he talked with people in the lecture hall of Tyrannus. 10 This went on for two years. So all the Jews and Greeks who lived in Asia Minor heard the word of the Lord.

The church in Ephesus is now planted with just a dozen believers. These 3 verses give us just a glimpse of what God can do with just a few. As momentum builds in the first months opposition comes and instead of de-railing the young church, Paul just moves venues and keeps right on preaching and unfolding the kingdom of God to all willing to listen, which it turns out, is the whole region of Asia.

Verse 10 covers 2 years of Paul’s ministry. You might think that there would be so much to tell, lots of high-lights or FaceBook moments (the next paragraph does give a few more details), but mainly what happens is that day after day for 2 years, Paul turns up & does the same thing. We often dismiss the importance of the day to day faithfulness of our walk and obedience to God whatever that may mean for each of us, but we don’t grow if we don’t show up, & Jesus can’t use us to unfold the Kingdom to others if we don’t. The Holy Spirit did use Paul in amazing ways in the region of Asia & he can use us.

Jesus, my heart is to show up each day remaining faithful to you, your Word and all that you have for me to do. Holy Spirit I ask for strengthen & courage to do so.

Written by Suzie Hodgson