What's Your Story? - Romans 1
What's your story?Do you know the story of Paul? He's the guy that met God in a bright light there on road to Damascas. He went from being one of the most notious persecutors of the Christian faith to one of the most famous proclaimers of it. He gave up everything when he became a Christian. God totally changed his life. Paul ate, slept, lived and breathed the gospel, going from town to town telling about what God had done for him. Paul's passion is obvious in this chapter - bringing others the Good News of the Gospel.
Which makes me examine my priorities. Has God not done the same for me that he did for Paul? Did He not rescue me from myself, from darkness, from a dreary world void of a relationship with the Creator of the Universe? Yet if you were to document all my activities for a day, would my actions reflect my relationship with Him?
Something very simple, yet very powerful, stood out as I read Romans 1:
9 God knows how often I pray for you. Day and night I bring you and your needs in prayer to God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his Son.Paul prays for those in the church. He prays for them day and night, bringing their needs to God. Paul believes in the power of prayer. This got me thinking - who has God put under me that I should be praying for? This is one area in my life that I need to turn up the heat. I need to pray for my church, the leadership and those in the body, day and night. I need to pray for the men in my small group, and my accountability brothers - day and night.
Now, look at the last half of that verse: "...God, whom I serve with all my heart by telling others the Good News about his Son."
Do you see it? Paul is saying the way he serves God with all his heart is by telling others the Good News about Jesus.
How many times have you heard someone ask, "How do I serve God?" There are hundreds of books on serving God. Preachers spend weeks on the subject. Yet, with a simple sentance, Paul boils it all down to what's really important: telling others the Good News.
I'm telling you, this has convicted me. Like I said before, it's time for me to get back to basics. Things have become way too complicated, to the delight of my enemies. There is great power in telling our story about what God has done (or is doing) in our lives. People want to hear stories. People need hope and they need to hear that there's a God who cares for them. There are those that need to hear your story.
What's your story? How has God changed you? How has the Creator of the Universe touched your life? Tell someone...
peace,
e
