26 November | EVERYONE
«For this reason [for preaching the gospel] I also suffer these things; nevertheless I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed and am persuaded that He is able to keep what I have committed to Him until that Day.» 2 Timothy 1: 12
The sea, that afternoon, leaped like a colt goaded by a thousand spurs. The waves crashed with the sound of tragedy and the taste of death. And death was coming to Lidia, slowly and fatally. The young blonde, with freckles on her face, felt that her strength had reached its limit. Exhausted, tired, and without energy, she was aware of the danger. Born into an atheist home, there was no place in her life for the things of the spirit. And yet, on that gray afternoon, without seagulls, without sun, without joy, on that dreary afternoon, feeling that there was nothing more she could do to save herself, she raised her eyes to heaven and cried out, “Lord, save me!”
The response was not delayed. Lidia lost consciousness, but when she woke up, she discovered that she was still alive. A fisherman had rescued her. Lidia is today a Christian nurse who dedicates her life to God and humanity in an African country. When her atheist friends laugh at her convictions, she repeats to herself, “I am not ashamed, I know whom I have believed.”
God has a wonderful plan for you. Sometimes, because of those things in life, you lose your way and run after fleeting values, ignoring God’s dream for your life; and, incredible as it may seem to you, the adverse circumstances of the path are God’s tools to bring you back to the reality of your ideals. Ideals of which no one should be ashamed of at all, for they emanate from the Source of life.
Take Action
Reread today’s verse. Believing differently than most can make you feel uncomfortable at times, especially when you express it. That is why your faith cannot be superficial, but must be rooted in a growing relationship with Jesus. That will give you security and firmness. Sing “I Know Whom I Have Believed” (if possible, with your family).