A Few Words Before I GoSample

Paul leaves his life work in God’s hands

“Now, brothers, I entrust you to God and to the word of His grace, which is able to build up, and to give you the inheritance among all those who are sanctified.” (Acts 20:32)

Not only did Paul have individual “children in the faith”, like Timothy, but he was also strongly connected to several churches that he had planted or served. He was very much interested in their spiritual well-being and was constantly praying for them. But due to his many travels and being imprisoned for his faith multiple times, Paul could not visit these churches as often as he wanted to. He had to leave them in the care of his co-workers and most of all in God’s hands.

Paul did not consider any local church ‘his.’ He stressed that he and his colleagues were only “servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each” (1 Corinthians 3:5). Moreover, when Paul planted a church, it was only God who gave the growth (1 Corinthians 3:6). Nevertheless, it was hard for Paul to tell the church of Ephesus: “I know that none of you among whom I have gone about proclaiming the kingdom will see my face again” (Acts 20:25).

Paul knew that after his departure, the church would be attacked by false teaching and persecution. They would face hard times. Only God and His Word could protect them.

Do you have a ‘life work’ that you need to entrust to God’s hands? Is that difficult for you?