For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

                                                                                              Romans 1:16 (NIV)

Many times, we are faced with the opportunity to speak to someone about Jesus but for reasons best known to us, we don’t tell them about the grace we have received as children of God and the salvation Jesus offers in this lifetime and for eternity.

Personally, I felt that the gospel wasn’t mine to preach but others’ responsibility. Surely God called me, but not into ministry. I somehow convinced myself that God solely wanted me to tell others about Him through the way I lived and did not need me to use my words as I wasn’t equipped for that. But the truth is I wasn’t confident about the message I had heard and accepted.

This led to a lot of internal struggles. For a long time, I saw myself as a child locked outside, behind the gate bars, desperately looking in as my eyes implored Jesus to take me on the other side and make me His. I knew I was always invited, but for some reason, the pitiful state of the child locked out sat well with me. I had one leg in, and one leg out-I loved the freedom Christ gave me but I still cared about what the world would think of me.

Thanks be to God for His mercy. I realised that I didn’t fully accept the gospel for what it really was but picked the parts I wanted to live, while discarding the rest. This was why I struggled with telling others about Jesus-how can I talk about someone I don’t really know? Someone who I identify with but beyond that, can’t really say much more about Him. I had no real relationship with the one I believed in. However, I can say otherwise today because I made a deliberate choice (and still doing so till this day) to spend more time with Jesus, praying that He helps me know Him better and for us to have a true relationship. I am a work in progress, one still undergoing pruning, but Jesus is more focused on my deepest desires, my desperate need to know Him better as I grow and mature as a Christian. So yes, I stumble sometimes and make mistakes but I run back to Him over and over and over again because I know that I CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT HIM in this world.

After reading a passage in the book of Acts, chapter 8, where the Spirit of God directed Philip to the chariot of an Ethiopian eunuch who was on his way home after worshipping at Jerusalem, I asked; what made the eunuch believe this man he just met and also believe in The One he spoke about(that is, Jesus) so much that he couldn’t wait to be baptised? The Holy Spirit orchestrated the encounter and it was definitely by His grace the eunuch accepted the gospel of Christ but Philip was a part of it too- he was a vessel. I realised it must have been Philip’s countenance, his body language and the way He spoke about this Jesus. I imagined his eyes lighting up as he spoke about the love of God in Christ Jesus who came down from heaven, dwelt among us, gave His life for us so that we don’t have to pay for our sins in order for us to have a real, intimate and personal relationship with God who has become our father and now considers us His Children!

This should be our attitude. We should allow ourselves be vessels the Holy Spirit uses and be willing to share(via words and actions) the good-news we have received by God’s grace with those who are yet to hear or yet to believe. There should be something about the way we talk and live for Jesus that speaks to those who don’t know Him for themselves yet. If the early Christians were selfish about sharing Christ, would you and I have been privileged to partake in the Kingdom of God? I implore you, do not hold back when your heart bursts with so much joy that you want others to know what an amazing God we serve, about His grace shown to us through Christ Jesus which allows us to come into His presence with the confidence that He listens, about the love and mercy He continuously pours out for the whole world each passing day.

Let us stop being ashamed of the gospel, IT IS THE POWER OF GOD THAT BRINGS SALVATION TO EVERYONE WHO BELIEVES!

AMEN!!!