With Boldness, No Matter What
Acts 28:31 “He proclaimed the kingdom of God and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ—with all boldness and without hindrance!”
Let’s be honest, we don’t like to see our sons and daughters struggle and, if we could, we would change it. When we see them face difficulty accompanied by frustration or pain, we want to step in and take it away. But...what if…..what if God designed that difficulty to create circumstances that would allow them to boldly share Jesus with others? What then? Would we still wish and pray it away?
Your challenge today is to read all of Acts 28 as if you were the Apostle Paul’s parent. Yep, you read that right… imagine he was your son….now go on and read the chapter. What do you see? What are your feelings about what he’s facing? What would you have said...or done on his behalf? And when you get to verse 31… what would your perspective be?
Paul was arrested and, eventually, sent to Rome where he remained imprisoned until his death. He was under house arrest, yet took every opportunity to talk to others about Jesus. Jews and Romans alike were saved and transformed by his ministry. Roman guards became brothers in Christ. God used Paul’s imprisonment to get the gospel to Rome and to the Gentiles.
God had a purpose and plan in Paul’s hardships and Paul understood that. He trusted God more than he trusted his experience and more than he regretted his circumstances. He wasn’t imprisoned by his attitudes and despair. His faith in God’s plan gave him boldness to share the gospel and a spiritual freedom that no government or official could take from him. He was willing to go and share boldly wherever God placed him.
Friends, sometimes God puts our sons and daughters in hard places because He intends to use them in ways that, otherwise, would not happen. Rather than fuss, fret, and try and interfere, let’s pray with boldness that our sons and daughters would have boldness for Christ!!
Yes, this is hard. No, we don’t like to see our children (grown or not) in hard places. But do we trust God? Can we trust Him with what is most precious to us? Of course we can. Absolutely. They are safer in His keeping than they ever were in ours. Trust Him and pray for boldness.
“Lord, I know that you may take (name) to hard places or into difficult circumstances. Help me to trust You. I pray that my “parent heart” would not stand in the way of Your plan. Give me wisdom, Lord, to know what to say and when, or to sense when You are putting a hand on my mouth and heart to bring peace and quiet so you can work. I ask that you would give (name) boldness to speak of Jesus to those around them and give them eyes to see spiritual opportunities that hard places and circumstances may cultivate. Lord, I know time is short and those You will add to Your Kingdom may be nearing completion. Use us to spread the truth of Jesus, the joy of salvation, the ministry of mercy and grace to those around us. I pray this in Jesus’ name, amen.”