Daily Devotions
Everyone Has a Pulpit
Reading for May 23rd: Ezra 8-10
Weekly reading for May 17-23: Acts 25-28
As day was about to dawn, Paul urged them all to take some food, saying, "Today is the fourteenth day that you have continued in suspense and without food, having taken nothing. Therefore I urge you to take some food. For it will give you strength, for not a hair is to perish from the head of any of you." And when he had said these things, he took bread, and giving thanks to God in the presence of all he broke it and began to eat. Then they all were encouraged and ate some food themselves. (We were in all 276 persons in the ship.)
Acts 27:37
Would you call Paul's speech here a sermon? It doesn't look like one. He told everyone to eat. He told them they wouldn't die. That doesn't sound like a sermon.
But Paul was preaching, and everyone on this ship (all 276 individuals) heard his sermon loud and clear. Paul was demonstrating faith when everyone was in despair. Everyone had given up hope of survival, but Paul knew that God was going to save them. His faith shone brightly on this ship.
Everyone has a pulpit. It may not be in a church building. It might be in a classroom. It might be in an office. It could be in a boardroom before executives, or before children in a home. Your pulpit is wherever you exercise influence. Your influence may stretch to just a few close friends and family members, or it could be 276 coworkers.
Paul's pulpit was made large and wide by the dire circumstances they faced on the ship. Our influence is maximized when we go through fierce and treacherous storms in life. That's why we should embrace trials. Trials open up opportunities for the gospel to be seen in our lives.
So, the next time you find yourself in a storm, step up to the pulpit and preach!
Father, help us to face storms with faith and courage so that the world might see the unshakable peace and joy we have in Christ Jesus.
