then after three years i went up to jerusalem to visit cephas and remained with him fifteen days. but i saw none of the other apostles except james the Lord’s brother. (in what i am writing to you, before God, i do not lie!) then i went into the regions of syria and cilicia. [galatians 1:18-20]
paul wants it to be really clear that he is fairly unknown in the church at jerusalem and in judea. his authority to preach the gospel doesn’t rest on these associations, it rests on the gospel of Jesus Christ. and so does ours.
do you feel like God can’t use you right now? maybe you’re a new believer, maybe others seem more prominent in the church than you think you could be, maybe you’re not as versed in doctrine as you’d like you be, maybe you feel ineffective because you haven’t been to seminary. but all of these are excuses that the enemy will whisper in your ear to keep you from boldly proclaiming Christ the way you are called to do as a believer.
but God doesn’t call benchwarmers. he calls ambassadors.
therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. we implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [2 cor 5:20]
we don’t have to be known by men to make this our proclamation. we only need to be known by God. known in a way that reveals his glory to our hearts. known in a way that causes us to cry, Abba, Father! known in a way that draws us into Christ, so that by knowing who he is, we know who we are. we are chosen, we are cherished, and we are charged with proclaiming a gospel that holds power to change lives.
so today, in the presence of a God who knows us, let’s ask for complete confidence in the authority of his gospel. let’s ask to desire his approval over the approval of men. let’s ask for a zeal for his glory, a love for his people, and a compassion for the lost. then let’s go and proclaim him to a world that needs to hear! what are we waiting for!
~arwen eastman