Daily devotion – Ephesus lesson
Rev 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
Do you feel today that is difficult to live as a Christian here in Australia? Are you facing real persecution in your workplace because of your faith?
There are times when we all think that living now as a Christian is really up against it.
Helen and I almost 10 years ago, had the privilege of visiting the ruins of the city of Ephesus located in modern Turkey. If you are ever able to I recommend you seize the opportunity. The city of ancient Ephesus is a place of ruins obviously but the structure of the city is still quite remarkable given its age. You can walk the beautifully paved streets and see the amphitheatre where the crowd cried out for over two hours, “Great is Diana of the Ephesians” – Acts 19.
The more I learnt about Ephesus as we walked its streets and the time of Paul and Timothy ministering in that great city, the greater I realized how difficult it must have been for them. The depravity and immorality of the place was completely ‘over the top’ with no let up or safe zone for Paul and all those who confessed Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
It made me realize then, and again today, we now before us have an amazing period of open doors and God’s grace for us to be able to worship and minister the Gospel of Jesus Christ. In fact, as things grow more difficult for us, nothing like what Paul and the early believers suffered, the greater opportunity we each have to shine the Light of Christ and share the love of God in an ever darkening and hostile world.
No one in Australia is facing the death sentence at the moment for following Christ as the early believers did if they did not confess publicly that Caesar was lord. Instead of us seeking to lock ourselves away and wait monastically for Jesus to take us home, let us seize the time God has blessed us with now to share the love and grace of God.
God has opened doors for you and I to walk through, He has provided lost souls for us to minister to and He has given us the time now to do this.
There has never been a greater opportunity than today!
Today is the day of salvation……2 Corinthians 6:2 For God says,“At just the right time, I heard you. On the day of salvation, I helped you.” Indeed, the “right time” is now. Today is the day of salvation.