Scripture: 1st Corinthians 1:1
Paul, called to be an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, and our brother Sosthenes…
Thought for the Day: Paul speaks of his calling as an apostle – Apostolos in the Greek. It literally means: One Sent Out With A Message. It is interesting how Paul claims his position as an Apostle and the authority that comes with it. Apostle was originally used to describe those who were with Jesus in his earthy ministry and received the commission on Pentecost. Of course, Paul was not there for either one of those moments. In fact, he was just beginning his work as a persecutor of the church, and so you can imagine how some felt resentful that Paul claimed that title. Yet for Paul, he still claimed it. He believed his calling was equal to the calling of anyone else. In his conversion on the Damascus Road, he truly believed he met the living Christ (Acts 9). I don’t believe Paul claimed the title because he liked having a title; he didn’t claim it because he liked having the business cards or the plaque on his door. Paul believed without question that he had been called to a ministry, and though he wasn’t going to hold his title above others, he sure wasn’t going to allow anyone to dismiss him. Though I believe humility is important, we should not apologize for the passion we feel, especially when we are talking about God’s call upon our lives.
Prayer: Speak to me again your words of grace, O Giver of all good things. Speak to me, and through that gift, call me to your service. I yearn to serve you with the intensity seen in the Apostle Paul. Amen.
WEDNESDAY STUDY
