Wednesday, March 13, 2024
Have you ever been in a position to share God’s love but froze?
Do you think that meet-up was just a coincidence? Be assured, it was arranged personally for you by the One True God of all that was, is, and ever will be. Hallelujah!
So what stopped you from gleefully sharing the joy of being a Child of God? Perhaps you thought, “What if they mock me or ask me a question I can’t answer?”
Good News—it’s not about you! God wants only your obedience and desire to share his incalculable love for mankind with those he sends your way. Their response, and eventual acceptance or rejection of his love, is God’s purview alone.
When you obediently share your story of salvation and how you can’t imagine life without him because of his love for you, be at peace—you’ve done your job. You have been a blessing to someone God wants to reach. Their reaction to his gift of salvation is not your responsibility.
“Jesus Feeds Five Thousand” (Mark 6:30-44) is an excellent example of how Jesus invites us—his disciples—into his story. Jesus’ teachings had drawn a huge crowd of people, and it was getting late. His disciples wanted to send everyone away to find something to eat, but Jesus had another idea.
Mark 6:37-38
37 But Jesus said, “You feed them.”
“With what?” they asked…. 38 …“We have five loaves of bread and two fish.”
Jesus didn’t need his disciples’ help, but he invited them to participate in his miracle because he loved them.
Mark 6:41
Jesus took the five loaves and two fish, looked up toward heaven, and blessed them. Then, breaking the loaves into pieces, he kept giving the bread to the disciples so they could distribute it to the people. He also divided the fish for everyone to share (emphasis added).
Jesus is inviting us, too! God wants to share his work with us, the ones he loves, and who love him in return.
So, when you are in a position to share your salvation story, answer a Bible question, or serve someone in need, be thankful, not freaked out. Be overjoyed that God loves to bless us in various ways, including when we share his love with the lost.
Praise and thanks to you, Lord, for including us in your eternal work!
Questions:
Are you eager to share with others your relationship with the Lord?
Do you know how to grow in your relationship with the Lord?
Do you trust him to provide you with all that you need? If not, why?
Next Steps:
In order to grow our ability to walk with God and effectively share his will and his way with others, we must prioritize taking our next step to grow our relationship with him.
Spend time each day in his Word, the Holy Bible. Begin and end your day with a Bible-based devotional or do a Bible study.
Become the hands and feet of God by participating in GrowthTrack and serving in one of the many ministries at CedarCreek.
If a past or present hurt, habit, or hangup is preventing you from growing closer to God, check out Celebrate Recovery to find freedom.
Prayer:
Lord, thank you for seeking and saving me! I was one of the lost but am now found. Thank you for the blessings of my earthly family and church family. May they all be my forever family with you in eternity. Please free me from the timidity that keeps me from sharing your love boldly with others. Help me to always remember it is not about me—it’s about you. In Jesus’ name I pray, amen.
This post was written by Martha Smith, a regular contributor to the LivingItOut Devotional.