Daily devotion – Keep praying and sharing the Gospel!
Don’t Give Up on Them
How often we give up all hope of seeing loved ones or friends come to Christ after sharing the gospel with them for so long.
We begin to think it’s a waste of time, and their stubbornness or refusal to receive Christ seems only to grow stronger.
Have you ever felt that way — thinking, why bother anymore?
I am so thankful that our Lord does not react or behave like us. The Bible declares in Book of Nehemiah 9:17:
“But You are God, ready to pardon, gracious and merciful, slow to anger, abundant in kindness, and did not forsake them.”
As we enter chapters 8 and 9 of the Acts of the Apostles, we meet a man named Saul — someone nobody except the Lord would ever have expected to come to Christ. Yet what a transformation followed! His life became completely surrendered to the service of the Lord, as the unfolding chapters of Acts reveal.
It would be the Apostle Paul himself who effectively tells us, “Don’t give up on them.”
Listen to his testimony in First Epistle to Timothy 1:12–17.12 And I thank Christ Jesus our Lord who has enabled me, because He counted me faithful, putting me into the ministry, 13 although I was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man; but I obtained mercy because I did it ignorantly in unbelief. 14 And the grace of our Lord was exceedingly abundant, with faith and love which are in Christ Jesus. 15 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am chief. 16 However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.
Paul reminds us that he was once:
a blasphemer
a persecutor
an insolent man
Yet he obtained mercy so that Christ might show in him all longsuffering as a pattern for those who would later believe.
Paul’s words resonate with hope for those we think are beyond salvation.
If you have lost hope for a loved one or a friend coming to Christ, then this Wednesday or Sunday as you gather for fellowship at CCSH, ask a brother or sister to pray with you —
to continue on in prayer and in hope.
Because God is able.