The Voice

Watching segments of the “AD” Bible-based television series has been inspiring to me. It has taken much courage to use this platform to tell others about Jesus.  It begs the question, “How am I using my voice, my platform, to tell others about Jesus and His love and my salvation?”

“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples; He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him. Now I have told you.’  So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples.” –Matthew 28: 5-8 NIV.

Isn’t it precious that two women found Jesus’ tomb empty and were empowered to tell the disciples the Good News? Women back then typically had no voice or place in society, yet were such an important part of Jesus’ ministry.

Like the women on Easter morning, Beloved, we may be afraid yet filled with joy to tell others about Jesus and what He means in our lives. Have courage. You have a voice to use it for His glory to tell this Good News and encourage others to strengthen their faith.

I am reminded of the following story about using our voices to tell others about Jesus.

In the mid-1950s, the Rev. W.E. Sangster noticed a strange feeling in his throat and that his leg had begun to drag. He promptly went to visit his doctor. Rev. Sangster was diagnosed with an incurable disease that caused progressive muscle atrophy. His muscles would continue to waste away, including the muscles in his throat, and he would eventually be unable to swallow.

Knowing that his time was growing short, Rev. Sangster decided to use his time in writing for British home mission and in prayer. During this time, he wrote numerous articles and books, and organized prayer groups throughout England. His disease did progress. Eventually he was unable to talk, but he could hold a pen.

On Easter Sunday, just a few weeks before he died, he wrote a letter to his daughter. Barely able to control his pen, he wrote, “It is terrible to wake up on Easter morning and no voice to shout, ‘Christ is risen, indeed!’ But it would be still more terrible to have a voice and not want to shout.”

Amen. May we use our voices and our platforms to “go and tell” others how Jesus’s empty tomb filled our hearts with hope.

PS. One month ago, on Saturday, March 14, 2015, at 5pm in the afternoon, I was involved in a serious six-car accident, hit by a man charged with Driving Under the Influence. My car was totaled. For those of you who know, please forgive me for not being able to write about it yet. I am humbled that God spared my life. It has been too sacred to write about it. Psalm 91:4. One day I will use my voice to describe this experience. One day…. To God be the Glory!  Thank you for your patience as the magnitude of the miracle marinates.  

Reflect:

–How has your faith been strengthened and how will you use your voice to tell others? Please comment.

Renew:

–“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that He was buried, that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He appeared to Peter and then to the Twelve. After that, He appeared to more than 500 of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep.” –1 Corinthians 15: 3-6 NIV

–“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the sinful nature with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit.” –Galatians 5:22-25 NIV

Recharge:

–What will you do this week to spread the Good News? To bear fruit?

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Comments

  1. Thank you for such a timely devotion. I’m praying about this area of my life now. I’m so thankful that you are using your voice to minister to me and so many others.

  2. Love you sweet friend….praying for you daily. Thank you for all you do! I miss you and hope to get to see more of you in a few months! xoxo

  3. I do not know what happened or the extent of your injuries. I am new to your blog but I pray God’s goodness for you and complete recovery. I went to bed hurting for my daughter and honestly probably my pride hurt as well by one of my daughter’s friends not thinking the plans my soon to be 16 yr. Old daughter were not good enough for her. My daughter’s friends family’s are quite wealthy, I try to look at that as being a good thing. I am a single mom of 2 adopted girls, one from Vietnam and one Guatemala. Needless to say this ole mom does not have extra money for parties and such as these families do. My daughter has never had a party and has been invited to her friends b-day parties…sometimes the cost of the event is covered, and sometimes I have to cover my daughter’s …some parents do cover the cost some do not but regardless I let her go. Now she will be 16 and we were going to throw a party at a public pool. One, or several, I do Not know the details and I don’t need to know but the end result is my daughters plans for a party for her friends have ended as they or a gal has said public pools are dirty and she did not want to attend, she only swims at private pools. My daughter was really excited about this and covers her feelings well, but this ole mom feels bad for her daughter and the feelings I have for her friends who were so mean and rude are not Godly feelings and I prayed for forgiveness of my feelings about this situation. I know it is only a pool party for a 16 yr old that was squashed and not a big deal. There will be.more parties and more b-days than this…God willing. Thanks for your blog to help me realize my feelings were quite immature and I do need to pray more about it. I pray your injuries to this terrible accident are healing. May our gracious God be with you. In his name . Thank you