Keep on Speaking. Do not be Silent.

One night the Lord spoke to Paul in a vision: “Do not be afraid; keep on speaking, do not be silent.” Acts 18:9 (NIV)

Suppose you are sound asleep in the middle of the night when Jesus wakes you up and speaks to you. He encourages you to continue the good fight and to speak the truth of the gospels to others. How would any of us respond?

This past weekend we celebrated the life of Dr. Martin Luther King. There were some excellent documentaries detailing his life and accomplishments as well as some of the challenges he faced in his fight for equality and against poverty. There was an illuminating moment in an interview with Coretta Scott King, his widow, who was being questioned by the interviewer about some of Dr. King’s shortcomings as a man. Mrs. King was quick to say that her husband was a man just like any other. Of course, he was a special man, she said. Nonetheless, even Dr. King was flawed.

And so was Paul by his own admittance.

Now if I do what I do not want to do, it is no longer I who do it, but it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:20 (NIV)

If God wakes us up and urges us to move forward unafraid and unashamed to keep sharing His gospel, it will be by His strength that we will fulfill His calling for us. All of our personal desires and hopes must emanate from the Lord who is our source and our strength. 

During this time of health crisis, we are confronted with family members and friends who have suffered or are suffering. Never have people been more in need for believers to help them understand and cope with the fears and very real-life dramas they are experiencing.

Let us all step up and respond to the Lord’s call to “keep on speaking, do not be silent.” Let us help our neighbors and each other through these days – now more than ever!