Sunday 3 May, 2020

16 Paul came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose mother was Jewish and a believer but whose father was a Greek. 2 The believers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. 3 Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. 4 As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. 5 So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

What an ordinary start to a significant partnership. Paul comes to Lystra, Timothy lives in Lystra, the people of Lystra and Iconium speak well of Timothy, Paul hears about it, I imagine Paul spends some time with Timothy and then Paul asks Timothy to join him on his journeys. From this account there is no dramatic vision, just a normal relational process – people networking – that leads Paul to begin a friendship with one whom he would go on to call his spiritual son. 

Am I leaning into relationships with expectancy? Am I leaning into the everyday of life with expectancy? Am I trusting that you God will use many of the ordinary things of life for significant purposes? 

Please help me to begin the day in faith, and to maintain an attitude of expectancy throughout the day and week ahead. Amen. 

Written by Ps. Bethany Waugh