MEDITATION:
Written by John MacArthur, a contemporary evangelical pastor. This is an excerpt from his book “Daily Readings from the Life of Christ.”
Peter and Andrew obeyed Jesus’ call right away – “Immediately they left their nets and followed him” – an indication of how determined they were to go with the Lord. The word “followed” carries the meaning of being committed to imitating the one he or she follows.
Past surveys have shown that 95% of all professing Christians have never led someone to faith in Jesus Christ. Too often they are like the reclusive, frugal man many years ago who accumulated 246 expensive violins in the attic of his house in Italy. Because he selfishly acquired and held on to those instruments, the world never heard the beautiful music the violins were intended to play. Many believers hide their light and store away the great treasure they possess as children of God. As a result, 95% of the world’s spiritual violins have not been played for others.
Evangelist D.L. Moody especially admired two similar paintings. The first depicted a person in the midst of a storm clinging with both hands to a cross firmly planted in a rock. The other picture also showed a person in a storm firmly grasping a cross. But in this one the man was reaching out with his other hand to rescue someone who was about to drown. Both paintings pictured a Christian valiantly holding on to Christ. But the second one portrayed the believer reaching out for another who was about to be lost. For us, as for D.L. Moody, the second picture should be the favorite.
PRAYER:
This prayer is from the Morning and Evening Prayer services of the Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Oh God, maker of all things new, You call us…Your servants…to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untraveled, through perils and joys still unknown.
Give us faith, oh God, to do all we are called to with courage, with hearts full of hope, with You, even though we do not know where we will land. Still, this is our assurance…
that Your love holds us
and Your hand leads us…always!
Through Jesus Christ.
Amen.
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