Testifying to the Message of Grace

I am so enjoying reading through the book of Acts. Seeing how the Lord worked in the early church is amazingly beautiful and such an encouraging reminder to my own heart that He is the same Lord who is at work today in the universal church.  It has stirred an excitement in my soul to keep alert for how He is continuing to work not only in my local context, but in the church abroad. Great things He has done and great things He will continue to do!

As I read, I came across Acts 14:3 and I couldn't help but pause:

"So they stayed there a long time and spoke boldly for the Lord, who testified to the message of His grace by enabling them to do signs and wonders." 

The Lord will testify about Himself. He will make His praises known. He will have His message of grace heralded among the peoples of every nation, tribe, and tongue. And He will do this through His enabling power. He will testify through His messengers, through His ambassadors...through His church. The question I found myself asking was how? In this passage, He did it through signs and wonders. But that is not always how He testifies.

Sometimes He testifies to the message of His grace by enabling His kids to go through pain, through unexpected deaths, through life altering sickness, through tears and trials and heartache. We want to run from those things. We want to be those who are used by the Lord through Him enabling us to experience joys and successes.

But maybe, for you...for me...His message of grace is best revealed when others can see that His grace is sufficient always, in every situation, and His power is magnified in the midst of our weakest moments (2 Corinthians 12:9). Maybe His message is best seen when our "jars of clay" are afflicted, perplexed, and struck down because it's then that they begin to realize that He is enough and it's all momentary, light affliction in comparison to the eternal weight of glory that awaits us because of Christ (I Corinthians 4).

Whether it be in prosperity or pain...may we boldly proclaim the gospel of grace that saved us, sustains us, and will carry us home to Heaven. May we pray for hearts that humbly accept whatever He enables us to go through so that He can testify to His message of grace through it. It truly is amazing grace. He truly is an amazing Savior!