Before I read Acts, I kind of thought that Paul's ministry was like a big slingshot. God pulled it back and Paul was simply shot forward into this wild, earth shaking adventure. But then I read Acts 18. Here is what it says:
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks.
I had to reread that a few times before I understood it. Paul made tents in the middle of his adventure. While he was traveling around, spreading the word of God, he paused and made some tents. That feels really unglamorous and unimportant and well, not God motivated. But that's what he did for a while. It even sounds like he was working most of the week and only doing "God's work" on the Sabbath.
Maybe you're making tents right now. Maybe unlike what I suggested a few days ago, things haven't been big yet. But I think it's important to stop and make tents. I think God uses that time to slow us down and speak to us before he sends us back out.
What happened to Paul in the rest of that chapter?
Here is verse 5:
When Silas and Timothy came from Macedonia, Paul devoted himself exclusively to preaching, testifying to the Jews that Jesus was the Christ
He went full time after he made a few tents. Maybe you will too.
Monday, February 11, 2008
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1 comment:
my husband and i went to a church planting conference over the weekend, and we are READY for those 'big things!' this post was something i needed to hear. it is necessary to take the time to listen (months, even!) before we go and 'do the things.' thank you for your insight.
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