May 3 - Acts 20:32

I commend you to God

and to the message of his grace,

a message that is able to build you up

Acts 20:32

Do you know someone who’s facing a trial? Paul, in his Acts 20 address to the Ephesians, gives us a model for encouragement.

Commend them to God: Assure them that you’re praying for them and let them know that you yourself trust ultimately in God’s care, not solely in human solutions.

Point them to “the message of God’s grace”: Does your friend know the message of God’s grace? If they’re in a relational struggle, do they know that God forgives. If it’s an issue of illness do they know that heaven awaits those who believe? Here’s the problem … even good Christians “know” this. But under stress, people too often “forget.” They know of forgiveness, grace, and eternal healing in their heads (and on the surface), but not their hearts (and deep, deep down). Remind them of the message of God’s grace.

Remind them how and why grace can “build [them] up”: If most people “forget” grace under stress, you’ll probably want to keep reminding them. Reminder-by-reminder, this will build them up.

Pray … teach … and remind. It’s a recipe for hope.

In Christ’s Love,

a guy who’s job is basically

pray, teach, and remind