Risking their lives (Dan Wells)

By


Greet Priscilla and Aquila, my fellow workers in Christ Jesus. They risked their lives for me. Not only I but all the churches of the Gentiles are grateful to them. (Romans 16:3, 4)

Priscilla and Aquila are some of the few people in Romans chapter 16 that we have met elsewhere in the Bible. They were companions of Paul in his ministry and he seemed to have a special friendship with them. But it’s not their friendship that he highlights here, but their risk.

“They risked their lives for me” says Paul. That’s a pretty amazing thing to say of anyone. I’m guessing Priscilla and Aquila were fond of Paul, but it’s not his friendship that Paul has in mind here. As he goes on to say, all the churches are grateful to them. They were willing to take a risk, not for Paul but for God.

Being a risk-taker and being a Christian might not seem like they go together very naturally! It can seem as if the church is overly conservative, unwilling to change and unwilling to try new things. And perhaps we can be much the same as well.

But Priscilla and Aquila could risk everything for God because they were all in for Jesus. They knew that their greatest treasure was safe in Jesus’ hands. For that reason they could take big risks knowing that nothing ventured for God’s kingdom is ever worthless. What risks, big and small, can we take for God today? Perhaps it’s a big change of direction or change of career. Or perhaps it’s a small but significant risk, like talking to our friend about our faith. Let’s be risk takers for God today.

Lord Jesus, thank you for the example of Priscilla and Aquila. Thank you for their willingness to risk everything for you. Help me to take risks, big and small, for your kingdom and your glory. Amen.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Be Alert (Liz Morris)

By
Image
" And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people." Ephesians 6:18 I love the inference that to pray is to be alert. As Paul draws to the end of his letter to the Ephesians, he reminds them of the importance to keep on praying at all times, in many different ways in the Spirit. Prayer is such an integral part of growing in our faith and seeing His kingdom come in our lives, our community and our world. It helps our earthly minds come to know our Heavenly Father and see His plans and purposes unfold. I love the fact that Paul goes on to put in a personal prayer request in the next verse and I am sure that the church in Ephesus often prayed for him along with many of the Christians from the other churches. I am sure too, that the alertness of all the early Christians to pray was essential in the success of the ministry of all the Apostles and the advancement of the g
Read more

Jesus and the strong man (Nico Marais)

By
Image
As Jesus was getting into the boat, the man who had been demon-possessed begged to go with him. Jesus did not let him, but said, “Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis[a] how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed. Mark 5:18-20 What precedes today’s passage is the well-known story of Jesus sending the demons from this man into a herd (or litter, depending on who you ask) of pigs that ultimately drown themselves.  The Bible says this man was so strong that chains could not hold him.  When he is set free from his demonic bondage he begs Jesus to come with Him.  Jesus says no and sends him back to his family, friends and his own people to share what Jesus has done for him. This is exactly what Jesus asks each of us to do as well.  We can’t really share Christ’s peace, mercy, hope, power and love via proxy.  We have to encounter it for oursel
Read more

God Sings Over You With Joy (Penny Cox)

By
Image
"he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing" Zephaniah 3:17 (NIV ) Recently I made my little grandson cry by being a bit too animated whilst reading him a story about a dog barking! His mother rescued him and comforted him with cuddles and soothing words. In the Bible God shows his father-love for us, not only by promising to quieten our frightened and fretful hearts with his love, but in his delight in us. Not only does God sing over us when we are awake, but Psalm 42 verse 8 tells that by night his songs are with us too. Let’s be comforted and encouraged by those promises today and tonight. Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank you that we are your children and that you love and cherish us. Help us to relax into your arms and receive your comfort through the day and the night. Amen. Penny Cox
Read more