February 8, 2023
I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. (Romans 1:16)
As I read Romans chapter one this morning, I recalled a story told during a Youth revival (YEC) I attended with my youth several years back. The story went something like this:
During the late eighteen hundreds, there was a famous fighting regiment in Scotland called the Gordon Highlanders. They were tough men skilled in combat and killing, professional soldiers everyone feared. One evening a recruit joined this regiment. When he arrived at the barracks, it was late in the evening; before settling in and climbing into bed, he knelt to pray. The other men mocked him. Those brutal battle-scarred soldiers had no place for religion in their lives.
That night the regiments’ sergeant returned to the barracks drunk from the pub. He was an older man with the scars of battle etched on his face. He saw the young soldier on his knees praying. He sat down and took off his heavy boots. Then he stood up and threw his boot at the young boy, hitting him on his head. There was a gash on his head, and blood started running down his neck. Not satisfied, the sergeant threw the other boot as he did; he called the young man a coward. He shouted at him that they were men in the Gordon Highlanders, and with that, the sergeant passed out.
The following morning the sergeant woke up, and before he got out of bed, he remembered his boots. He recalled what had happened the night before. He swung his legs out of bed, intending to go and retrieve his boots. As he sat on the side of his bed, his boots were right in front of him. They were spotlessly polished and nicely lined up, ready for him to put on. The young soldier had gotten up in the night and polished the staff sergeant’s boots. That big, tough soldier stood up, calling to the boy. He asked him to tell him about his Jesus. The staff sergeant accepted Christ as his Savior. The young soldier (Christ’s ambassador) was not ashamed of the gospel.
Friends, as Christ’s ambassadors, shouldn’t we do likewise? Would you pray with me?
Dear Heavenly Father, I hang my head in shame as I think of the many times I have either avoided standing up for the gospel or silently prayed that the situation would go away so that it would not be necessary to take a stand. Father, please fill me with Your Holy Spirit and give me the boldness to declare Your Name for all to hear. For it is in Your Precious Name, I ask. Amen.
Encouraging Words from R.C. Sproul: As the fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, so the denial of God is the height of foolishness.
God Bless you, Friends, and have a Blessed Day <><
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