"We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard." Acts 4:20
It is said that the Old Testament prophets "were called by God and overtaken by the Word." The divine call to them was followed by obedience, by captivation, and by full immersion in God's Word.
Jeremiah was called in early youth. He said to the Lord, "I do not know how to speak; I am only a child" (Jeremiah 1:6). However, when God's message came to him, he was overtaken by it in complete obedience. How great was his absorption! He said to God, "When Your words came, I ate them; they were my joy and my heart's delight" (Jeremiah 15:16). Jeremiah inwardly digested the Word, sometimes with joy, sometimes with tears.
Also in the New Testament persons called by Jesus were overtaken by the Word. The Savior's call to Peter and Andrew to follow Him drew this immediate response, "At once they left their nets and followed Him" (Matthew 4:20). The same is said of James and John. Throughout their ministry the apostles revealed their full commitment to the Gospel. Saint Peter declared, "We cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard" (Acts 4:20). They testified to the truth of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection of which they had been eyewitnesses.
The Holy Spirit through the Gospel has called you and me to faith in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. An important question, following our call, is this: "Have we been overtaken by the Word?" Has it taken hold of us? Does it prompt us to serve the Lord gladly in the various vocations we find ourselves? Can we say with the psalmist that the Lord's teachings "are more precious than gold, than much pure gold; they are sweeter than honey, than honey from the comb" (Psalm 19:10)?
How blest we are that God's call to faith and service has come to us and we are overtaken by the Word! Jesus, the Good Shepherd, always seeks and finds us when we stray from His redeeming love. He calls to us in His familiar voice. His Word overtakes us.
PRAYER: Lord Jesus, I thank You for continually renewing me through Your Gospel. Help me share Your Word with those who still do not know You. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Isaiah 1-2 2 Corinthians 11:16-33
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