Have you ever stopped to think about all of the obscure lives in the Bible. People that became a part of God’s story who found grace from the loving Lord.
How? What did they do to deserve a mention in the greatest true story ever told?
They simply believed. They had faith and, whatever else they did, they loved, honored, and obeyed God.
But their redemption was God’s idea. God pursues man for redemption to give them grace. Mankind never pursues God first.
We may know their names but not always their backstories. We might know a tidbit about their faith, courage, or redemption, yet how their lifelong commitment continued remains a mystery except to God. What we do know is that God saw and loved them.
I don’t know about you. But for me, that is so inspiring for my life. God sees the smallest of us. He sees the vilest and those trapped in the deepest prisons of hopeless despair. He sees the poor and humble. The least.
Here are a few examples to inspire your day.
Anna – A widow and prophetess who held the Savior when He was just over one month old.
The leper- STOP! This is not the one about the ten who were healed but only one comes back to thank Jesus. This is a different story.
The Shunamite Woman – There is another name in her story that you will see that appears three times in the Old Testament. Read about his checkered past.
Shiphrah and Puah – Courage and resolve are attributes that are hard to find among many believers today. But these women had these character qualities and obviously deep faith and reverence for God.
Jehosheba – This young woman had courage and grace. Her story could be made into a movie that would captivate any audience today. Except today’s world doesn’t have the stomach for such moral conviction as that shown by Jehosheba. Check out her story.
Star of Bethlehem
Gaius – Check out this article then read the passage in Romans below. Not only is Gaius mentioned, but so are many other friends of the old apostle, Paul, who were great servants of the Lord Jesus, but many of whom are known only to the Lord for their faithful devotion.
How does this inspire you as a believer?
There is a passage in Psalm 37 that I recently heard our U.S. Speaker of the House of Representatives, Mike Johnson, read at a press conference. I was so proud that he had the conviction and the courage to calmly, without dramatic intent, read that passage. He was not trying to be religious. He was not claiming some kind of moral high ground on behalf of the United States.
Actually, there is not much of that left. He was speaking as a professing Christian on what he knows is the truth.
God is Sovereign whether or not we allow Him to rule in our lives and in our lands. People who honor Him choose to serve and love Him by His grace.
Here is the passage that he read.
Trust in the Lord and do good.
Then you will live safely in the land and prosper.
Take delight in the Lord,
and he will give you your heart’s desires.
Commit everything you do to the Lord.
Trust him, and he will help you.
Psalm 37:4 (NLT)
I know what he was referring to, and it was appropriate for that context.
But for this context, it is no less appropriate. And that is, as believers, we need to have courage and resolve.
We need to arise every morning with courage and conviction. No matter where we live in the world and no matter how obscure we are in the world, we need to live to bring glory and honor to our God.
We need to shine His light on this world. We need to share the Gospel in this world. And we need to obey Him and serve Him in whatever capacity He calls us to.
We may not be notables like Mike Johnson. That is okay.
But all of our tiny little efforts are grand in God’s hands because it is not our efforts that save the day.
God has already secured every victory. We are simply joining Him in His design, and we are living to bring glory to His name.
Share the Gospel in your world!
New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Getting the Seed out of the basket and into hungry hearts. Matthew 13 