While we waited for Ricky to bring breakfast one morning, Stan said, “I’ve got a question for you.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“You ever read something in the Bible and have the sense that the words jump off the page?”
“Jump off the page? I’m not sure about that. Why do you ask?”
“I saw something like that earlier this morning,” Stan said. “I was reading in the Book of Acts and saw part of a single verse that was like it was written in big bold letters asking ‘Why not here?’”
“Why not here?” I repeated. “What were you looking at?”
“There’s a statement in the sixth chapter,” Stan replied, “that the word of God kept on spreading and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem.”
“So?”
“If it was happening in Jerusalem,” he said, “why not here? Why is the word of God not spreading and why isn’t the number of disciples continuing to increase?”
“Oh,” I replied. “I guess those are important questions.”
“Good guess,” Stan said with a smile. “I think those are important questions that can be answered only by each individual as we make the choice to spread God’s word and to follow what Jesus said about making disciples.”
“If we do that, do you think it will happen here?” I asked.
“I do,” Stan replied. “And remember that ‘here’ is wherever we happen to be!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And the word of God kept on spreading; and the number of disciples continued to increase greatly in Jerusalem. Acts of the Apostles 6:7.
Whoever will call upon the name of the Lord will be saved. How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard? Romans 10:13-14.
Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age. Matthew 28:19-20.
And He was saying to them all, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake, he is the one who will save it.” Luke 9:23-24.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, for the truth of your word that you sent Jesus into the world to provide salvation and redemption. Thank you for those people you sent into my life to bring me to that truth so I could accept it. I confess that too often I don’t seek to spread your word to those who do not know it — and I don’t seek to make disciples as Jesus said I am to do. Please forgive me. Help me to follow every step of your lead so I do, in fact, spread your word and make disciples. Thank you that I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you accepted the truth of God’s word so you know you will spend eternity in His presence? If no, why? What’s in the way of accepting His free and gracious provision? If you are a Christian with the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with spreading God’s word and making disciples? If you sense the need for change in any of this, how is that going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 