Passage of the Day:
Paul stayed on in Corinth for some time. Then he left the brothers and sisters and sailed for Syria, accompanied by Priscilla and Aquila. Before he sailed, he had his hair cut off at Cenchreae because of a vow he had taken. 19 They arrived at Ephesus, where Paul left Priscilla and Aquila. He himself went into the synagogue and reasoned with the Jews. 20 When they asked him to spend more time with them, he declined. 21 But as he left, he promised, “I will come back if it is God’s will.” Then he set sail from Ephesus. 22 When he landed at Caesarea, he went up to Jerusalem and greeted the church and then went down to Antioch. 23 After spending some time in Antioch, Paul set out from there and traveled from place to place throughout the region of Galatia and Phrygia, strengthening all the disciples, Acts 18:18-23.
Reflection:
A spiritual mentor once told me that ministry is an interruption from your busy life that makes you aware of the people in your life who need the Lord’s help. Unfortunately, in this age of technology, cell phones, the internet and streaming services serve as daily distractions. Whenever I tend to get into a good groove spiritually, I find myself losing time to entertainment and sports on television. Instead of reaching out to encourage others in my free time, I’m self-absorbed, obvious to how the Holy Spirit wants me to spend my day. While today’s passage doesn’t have any life changing events from the Bible, this demonstrates how the apostle Paul kept in step with the Holy Spirit, Galatians 5:25. Based upon Luke’s account, Paul’s daily prayer was what is the Lord’s will for me today? This is why Paul was always on the move, traveling to help those in need of God’s help.
Prayerful Action:
So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh, Galatians 5:16.
Developing the Spiritual Guts to Press On:
The most productive times in my life as an adult have been when I didn’t have cable or a television. I once spent 2 months teaching at a boarding school in West Virginia. Every day I was searching for opportunities to help one of my students. I lived in a cabin with my students and my only day off was Sunday. Perhaps, part of walking by the Spirit of God is focusing on the people around you. If you offer yourself up each new as a servant of God in prayer, your mind won’t be focused on how to gratify the desires of your flesh. May the apostle Paul’s example in today’s featured passage inspire you to search for those who need the Lord’s help.
Song of the Day:
Final Thoughts:
Today’s song has helped me deal with my failures after moving to South Carolina. Whenever I’m depressed at work, I start singing the lyrics of I Give Myself Away. This helps shift my focus from self-pity toward those individuals who need God’s help.
by Jay Mankus
ExpressYourself4Him 