“However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me–the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace” (Acts 20:24).
Yesterday we enjoyed a beautiful day in Boston with some sightseeing on land, a harbor tour and a visit with several friends. Boston is a city with depths of rich history, thus we were quite disappointed in a trolley tour that claimed it was giving a history tour but the tour guide was far more focused on the “history” of current popular movies filmed in the city than the far reaching history that helped shape this nation! We were disappointed but it occurred to us that this is what most people are probably interested in an can relate to. For those of us less interested in the latest Hollywood project we didn’t recognize any movie that was filmed in Boston. Thankfully, the Harbor Tour was far more instructive in the historic layout and events that has made Boston the great seaport city of the northeast.
We made it a point to visit a sight that is surely not well known. Even though it’s smack in the middle of Boston’s historical tourist area we suppose very few tourists even notice it or would recognize the significance of the D.L. Moody plaque.
A small bronze plaque on an old building on Court Street marks the spot where on April 21, 1855 Dwight Lyman Moody “was converted to God.”During a Sunday School lesson a young Moody showed spiritual interest by asking his teacher, Mr. Edward Kimball, the quaint question, “That Moses was what you call a pretty smart man, wasn’t he?” This prompted the earnest teacher to visit him at his place of business, a shoe store where he worked for his uncle. Mr. Kimball laid his hand on the boy’s shoulder and spoke a few kind words to him. Then he asked him the direct question, “Will you not give your heart to Jesus?” The inquiry pierced him to the heart. He sought and found Jesus as his Saviour, and resolved to consecrate himself to the service of his God. He went on to have a tremendous ministry for Christ through the rest of his earthly life.
Many of us have been impacted by D.L. Moody’s ministry whether we realize it or not. My older brother Pat had considered attending Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and since he (my brother) had an influence on my college choice I might very well have attended that college for my ministerial training.
Fundamentally God has called each believer to leave a signature for Jesus Christ. This signature is essentially our influence on the world around us. This signature may be made while serving in the office of a pastor or many other forms of Christian lay ministry, but it is the call of every true believer on earth until they are called home to heaven. The Apostle Paul’s ministry was multi-faceted. He ministered one on one, to small groups and to larger crowds. He ministered in both speaking and writing. His life’s mission is summed up in the powerful phrase in the daily text, “the task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace”.
Like the Apostle Paul, we want to have a lifelong commitment to the great task of testifying to the gospel of God’s grace. But each day we do well to ask ourselves, “What will I do today to influence the world for Christ?” That is our fundamental task.
Keep me true, Lord Jesus, keep me true.
There’s a race that I must run.
And there are victories to be won.
Give me power, every hour to be true.
Be encouraged today,
Stephen & Brooksyne Weber
