To Respond

I greet you in Jesus’ precious name! It is Tuesday morning, the 6th of August, 2024, and this is your friend, Angus Buchan, with a thought for today. 

We start in the Book of Romans 1:16. It is a scripture that all of us know and we should actually know off by heart,

”For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

If we go to The Message translation, the same scripture goes like this:

It’s news I’m most proud to proclaim, this extraordinary Message of God’s powerful plan to rescue everyone who trusts him, starting with Jews and then right on to everyone else!”
Romans 1:16

Then The Passion translation,

“I refuse to be ashamed of sharing the wonderful news of God’s liberating power unleashed in us through Christ! For I am thrilled to preach that everyone who believes is saved - the Jew first and then people everywhere!” 
Romans 1:16

It is for everyone. The other night it was very sad for myself and my wife Jill, when we were sitting down and expecting to see a wonderful opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Paris, France, and we saw something that was so sad my dear friend that we actually turned the television off before it was halfway through - where our beloved Lord Jesus Christ was publicly mocked and made a complete fool of. Now many people are asking how does one respond to an unprovoked attack on our faith in God? Well, we have to react the same way that our champion did. We pray for them, we ask God to forgive them, for truly they have no idea what they are doing. Luke 23:34, when our Master was hanging on the cross and He was dying He said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” 

You know, funnily enough, in 1924 at the Paris, France, Olympics, yes again, a Christian man, Eric Liddell, before he ran a race and won the gold medal for Britain, walked up the line and shook hands with every single opponent and wished them all the best, and then he proceeded to win the race and receive the gold medal. That is how we respond.

Jesus bless you and have wonderful day,
Goodbye.