Wednesday 17 March, 2021 – Your Story has Incredible Power
Romans 10:14-15 (TPT)
14 But how can people call on him for help if they’ve not yet believed? And how can they believe in one they’ve not yet heard of? And how can they hear the message of life if there is no one there to proclaim it? 15 And how can the message be proclaimed if messengers have yet to be sent? That’s why the Scriptures say: How welcome is the arrival of those proclaiming the joyful news of peace and of good things to come!
I don’t know about you, but whenever I think about sharing my faith with my friends and family, I get really intimidated. The questions start spinning around in my head like:
What if they don’t like what I have to say?
What if I make things weird?
What if they think I’m being annoying, obnoxious, or even worse, judgemental?!
These questions, I’ve come to realise have actually caused me to undervalue the work that Christ has done in my life. These questions have meant I have missed opportunities to share what Jesus has done in my life with my friends and family out of fear of judgement and rejection.
When writing to the Roman church, Paul had a few questions of his own about sharing the Good News. But instead of questions that paralyse us with fear, these questions remind us why we shouldn’t shy away from sharing the Good News of Jesus. Paul’s questioning here shows us that other people need to hear about Jesus to be able to believe in Him and then consequently cry out to Him as Lord. “Faith comes from hearing the message” (Romans 10:17).
The truth is that Jesus has decided that you and I were worthy of the job of pointing others to Him, He has sent us (The Great Commission – Matthew 28:18-20) and given us our testimony as a way for us to share. How crazy and wonderful is that?! He would choose us, imperfect people, to reveal His perfect love to the people in our world.
Even though the thought of sharing my faith may seem daunting at times, it is one of my biggest hopes that my family and friends would know Jesus, that they would experience God’s love and forgiveness and have eternal life. My prayer is that God would continue to embolden me because nothing breaks my heart more than the thought of my family and friends missing out on eternal life.
When communicated with the love and grace that Christ has shown you, there is incredible power in your story. God has done magnificent things in your life, and He wants your story on display for others to see, so that others can also be transformed by His love and grace. This work of evangelism is not solo work, we can trust that the Holy Spirit will give us the right words to say.
I encourage you today to spend some time reflecting on what Jesus has done in your life, think about ways how you would share it and pray for an opportunity to do so.
God, thank you for your grace, for saving me and for adopting me into your family.
I’m sorry for letting my fear scare me out of opportunities to share your gospel.
Father, Please give me the boldness to share my story with love and kindness to those in my life who don’t know you yet. Give me eyes to see the opportunities You are giving me to share my testimony. May my friends and family follow You.
Written by one of our Young Adult Leaders
There is a clear progression in these verses. Paul acknowledges that people need to call on God and this means they must have believed and so on until he acknowledges they must have been told the Good News.
Vs. 13 speaks about those who call on the Name of the Lord and are saved as a result and here we get the game plan so as people can hear and respond.
The sense of hearing means a hearing that understands the significance of the words and realises that a response is required, not a casual comment that is overheard something explained and understood.
For me I find myself drawn to vs. 14. God’s heart here is for people to call on him when they need help. His heart of love comes through.
Is love my motivation in sharing my faith. I sense the Lord currently renovating my heart, less duty more love.
Father help me to love people as You do that they encounter Your love more than anything else.
This little passage sits in a big chunk of scripture talking about salvation. Contrasting the law’s way of making people right with the way of faith. That our declaration of Jesus’ resurrection and our belief in Him in our heart demonstrates our salvation. And this little section talks about how we get to the place where we’re able to believe and declare – that it can’t happen if we haven’t heard the Word of God.
As followers of Christ, we are sent. We are called to GO and make disciples of all the nations (Matthew 28). Our priority as a church this year is to make room for others – to Go and make room for the lost, to Gather and make room for people. Jesus calls us to intentionally and strategically go and tell people about Him. So, I believe we, and importantly I, am sent.
Lord, thank You that You have sent me to share you with all those in my world. Thank You that I am sent to not only reflect Your goodness in my life, but to be Your mouthpiece. Thank You that You want to use me, and each one of us as Your followers, to go out into this world and declare the good news that is found in You. Help me to not only believe this, but to live it. Amen.