Wednesday, October 17: Acts 16 - Fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ.

The descriptive phrase, ‘fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ’ was brought into the churches lexicon by Willow Creek Community Church, a successful mega-church outside of Chicago. It is a great phrase, describing someone who will follow Jesus with heart and soul and mind and strength.

As I read this chapter, my modern 21^st century sense of being ‘fully devoted’ was sorely challenged. Now Paul was fully devoted. I grant you that he had a particular call to be an apostle, a missionary, and a church planter.  Few of us will have a similar call. What grabbed me, however, was not the particulars of his call, but the fervor and all-in nature of the way he executed his call.

I returned to the chapter and reviewed the headings. Paul was always on the go, giving his call his all… Derbe, Lystra, Phrygia, Galatia… his travels were extensive. He was training Silas and Timothy, always preparing the next generation of missionaries and church leaders. Then I re-read about his time in Philippi. Paul endured hardships I cannot imagine and kept going with a resolve and God-honoring attitude that I find hard to fathom. Jailed inappropriately and without due process, beaten mercilessly, Paul is found in his jail cell praying and singing hymns (25). When a God-opportunity arises, bloodied and beaten Paul talks to his jailer about salvation in Jesus! And upon his release the next morning, still bloodied and bruised, Paul chooses to stop at Lydia’s and encourage the church before he leaves town (40).

Like I said, Paul gave his call his all. Here is a ‘fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ!’

And the Spirit asked me a simple question, “Bill, will you give your call your all?”

How about you?

Lord, the words ‘fully devoted follower of Jesus Christ’ take on a new vividness for me. I am a wee bit scared to pray this, Lord, because I see in Paul what it can mean. Yet I pray, nonetheless, and only with the aide of the Holy Spirit, “Help me, Lord, to be a fully devoted follower of You.” Through Jesus, My Savior, I pray. Amen.