Day 20

Read: Acts 26-27

Introduction: There have been a couple of times in my life I started a big project and about half way through it I ask the question, “Why am I doing this?” The most recent project that has me in a pickle is a project car that my brother and I started over a year ago. It has been a slow process restoring this car and it feels like it has caused me more pain than anything. I find myself asking “why am I doing this” often. In those tough moments during the project, it is good for me to go back to the beginning and remember why we started the project car. We really started the project car to spend time together as brothers, and that makes every
long day spent together working on the car a beautiful thing. In one of Paul’s toughest segments of life, he goes back to his original call from God. In Acts, 26, Paul has been in prison for at least 2 years, and the whole time he has kept his focus on what is important. He does that by remembering his calling from God.

Acts 26:16-18

“But rise and stand upon your feet, for I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and witness to the things in which you have seen me and to those in which I will appear to you, delivering you from your people and from the Gentiles – to whom I am sending you to open their eyes, so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a place among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”

Think about it: At this point in Paul’s walk as a Christian, he could easily be discouraged after the last two years in prison. He hasn’t had a fair trial or been heard while in prison, but he doesn’t let that discourage him. Paul considers himself as “fortunate” to make his defense before King Agrippa when it comes time. One of the reasons he is able to keep from being discouraged is because he remembers his specific call from God. He knows to finish the race well, he must first remember why he is running the race. In the moments you are discouraged in your faith, do you go back to the moment you gave your life to Christ, or to the mission that God has called you? Don’t forget your first love for Christ!

Take away: Remember your first love for Christ.