Have you ever had a verse embed itself within your consciousness? I have had this verse lodged in my mind since attending Bible college in the late 1980’s. I attributed this to a quirk of my mind, as I remember many things that I wish I could forget, but lately it has occurred to me that this may be an ongoing work of the Holy Spirit. I didn’t remember the citation, which I had to research for this post, but the words (KJV) have never left me. “For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God which effectually worketh also in you that believe.” Why this verse from the Apostle Paul’s letter to the church at Thessaloniki should stand out to me left me baffled, until I finally paused to consider its meaning to me.
I am not a street preacher. Personality-wise I am INTJ, which means that I am an introvert, as well as a few other things. Crowds exhaust me and I avoid public speaking. Although I can and have accepted leadership positions, I still harbor the recollection of a speech impediment I had as a child – an impediment that kept me from the ability to communicate my own name. Yet, in my heart, there is an abiding wish to spread the gospel. I accept this hunger as the word of God working effectually in me, but to what avail? I remember that in Bible college there was an older gentleman with a passion for God. In speaking to him, his vocabulary was simple and his speech often halting. But when he shared the gospel, he was transformed – I could have listened to him for hours. I had the honor and gift of witnessing God’s word working effectually in him. The living word, the Holy Spirit, using an imperfect vessel and perfecting His strength in him.
In considering the Apostle Paul’s statement, I am struck by the phrase “which ye heard of us”. The word “us” includes me. Again, you won’t find me on a street corner, unless I’m waiting for the light to change, but I (and you) can be a part of “us” by supporting ministries that seek to fulfill the great commission: “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.”1 For me, this means inviting others to my church. It means supporting the Thru the Bible ministry with the teaching of Pastor J. Vernon McGee, and directing others to it. I am grateful that God has welcomed me to be a part of “us”, and it’s my prayer that we grow.
1 Matthew 28:19-20
In a dry and thirsty land 