Your Daily Devotional for July 18, 2006

 

July 18, 2006

 

Sharing our Faith

by Dr. Paul Chappell

 

 

“Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;) And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works:”

 

Hebrews 10:23-24

 

In our passage of Scripture today, we see Paul exhorting the Jewish Christians to be faithful in the Lord. Jewish Christians in the first century were constantly tempted to step back to Judaism and to rely on their old way of life. Many Christians today are tempted to hide their faith and rely on their old way of life. Many people are not willing to completely let go of the old and step into the new.

 

Christians today are afraid to stand out in the world. They don’t want to be made fun of or be hurt in any way. Friend, God had to lower Himself to come to earth, suffer to the extent of death, so that our sin could be paid for. Why are we so afraid of a little ridicule or name-calling?

 

Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” Paul, in Romans, was saying that he wasn’t ashamed to be a Christian! He didn’t hide behind the cloak of his noble upbringing. He wasn’t afraid to let people know that he was a follower of God even though people were being killed in that day for being a Christian!

Margaret Wilson, a Scottish girl of eighteen, was tied to a stake where the tide was due to come in. The water covered her while she was engaged in prayer; but before life was gone, they pulled her up till she recovered the power of speech, when she was asked by Major Windram, who commanded, if she would pray for the king.

She replied that she wished the salvation of all men, and the damnation of none. “Dear Margaret,” said one of the by-standers, deeply affected, “say God save the king.” She answered with great steadiness, “God save him, if he will, for it is his salvation I desire.” “Sir,” they cried to the major, “she has said it; she has said it!” The major, approaching her on hearing this, offered her the abjuration oath, charging her instantly to swear it, otherwise to return to the water. The poor young woman firmly replied, “I will not; I am one of Christ’s children! Let me go.” Upon which she was again thrust into the water, and drowned.

 

This young girl was willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice. We, as Christians, need to get up every morning and ask the Lord for spiritual stamina. We need to ask Him to give us strength throughout the day to be able to stand up for Him.

 

Friend, as you are going through your day, do you hide your faith or do those around you know you are a Christian? Are you afraid of ridicule or of not being accepted by your peers? Nothing that we could go through would be as bad as what Christ went through for us. He loved you enough to die for you; do you love Him enough to endure some ridicule for Him? May we never stop telling people of our faith in God.

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