Just a twist

Acts14: 19-21

19 Then some Jews came from Antioch and Iconium and won the crowd over. They stoned Paul and dragged him outside the city, thinking he was dead.  20 But after the disciples had gathered around him, he got up and went back into the city. The next day he and Barnabas left for Derbe. 21 They preached the gospel in that city and won a large number of disciples.

Somerset Maugham, the English writer, once wrote a story about a janitor at St Peter's Church in London. One day a young vicar discovered that the janitor was illiterate and fired him. Jobless, the man invested his meager savings in a tiny tobacco shop, where he prospered, bought another, expanded, and ended up with a chain of tobacco stores worth several hundred thousand dollars. One day the man's banker said, "You've done well for an illiterate, but where would you be if you could read and write?" "Well," replied the man, "I'd be janitor of St. Peter's Church in Neville Square."

When Paul and Barnabas faced opposition in Iconium during their missionary journey, it could have easily been the end of the road for them. As they preached their heart out in Iconium they would have loved to plant a Church there and settle down. But the trouble did not allow them to stay there. But once they moved ahead to Derbe, they were able to win many for Christ.

Every trouble that comes our way is not going to stop us and finish us. It is just another twist in the tale to give us a better vision and further progress to be blessed and be a blessing. If we let God control our mess, He will make it beautiful as we keep going. Let’s remember it’s not a turn, just a twist.  

Stanley Thomas Isac

Stanley is serving as the Pastor of Crossway Church in New Delhi, he can be reached at Stanleytisac@gmail.com