Theme:
Unhindered
un·hin·dered: adjective: unhindered - not hindered or
obstructed
Read: Numbers 9:15-23 and Acts 28
S.O.A.P.
Scripture – Observation – Application – Prayer
S:
At the command of the Lord they camped, and at the command of the Lord
they set out; they kept the Lord’s charge, according to the command of the Lord
through Moses. Numbers 9:23
O:
We end our study of Acts today (sadly).
I have so enjoyed reading and studying the life and ministry of Paul,
but as our passage in Numbers says, sometimes we camp and sometimes we move
on. Tomorrow we will be going back into
the gospels and studying through the book of Mark. I feel like I know Paul a little more after
our month long study through the book of Acts.
I have so enjoyed getting to know the characters of the book and seeing
the story come to life!
In today’s reading, Paul and the other
passengers found themselves on the Island of Malta where Paul did many great
works of healing. After winter they
sailed from Malta to Syracuse, to Rhegium, to Puteoli (what is known as modern
day Sicily and Italy) and finally to Rome.
An interesting side note is that Malta
today has a day they celebrate Paul’s Shipwreck on February 10th of
each year. In Malta, it is called 'San
Pawl Nawfragu'. The day is a time for
family gatherings and it is observed by religious ceremonies and processions,
particularly at the the Church of St. Paul Shipwrecked in Valletta.
After Paul arrived in Rome it says he
was there two years preaching with openness and unhindered. Nicole Querido says this, “Isn’t it amazing
and so like our God, to take the very thing that from our human perspective
would seem to cause the greatest hindrance to Paul’s ministry, turn it around,
and cause it to remove all hindrances instead? Here is Paul, a prisoner
for two years, continuing to preach and teach about Jesus without all the
difficulties he faced during his time traveling.” She goes on to say this, “We too are called
to an unhindered life, called to be a testimony, a convincing proof that Jesus
is alive and powerful.” As Beth Moore
once said, “We don’t have time for bondage;” let’s “do what it takes to be
free!”
A:
What hinders you from being an unhindered testimony? As Nicole Querido states, “Let’s throw off
all that hinders and surrender whatever life circumstances we are in right now
to our all loving God. It just may be the perfect place to proclaim the
kingdom unhindered and show the all surpassing power of a life lived for God.”
P: Dear Jesus, Thank You for this study on the
life of Paul. Thank you that we have
this example of how Paul shared the gospel “unhindered”. What a beautiful picture of what we are
called to be. LORD, so often we (I) have
lived hindered and weighted down with things I should never be carrying. God I pray that all who are reading this
today, including myself, would surrender anything that is hindering our
testimony and that we would move past those things and be FREE to share about
Your Kingdom through words, but also through the visible example of our
lives. In the Freeing Name of Yeshua our
Messiah I pray, Amen & Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment