Sunday 2nd October
“Then they said to one another, ‘We are not doing right. This day is a day of good news. If we are silent and wait until the morning light, punishment will overtake us. Now therefore come; let us go and tell the king's household.’”
Don’t keep God’s good news to yourself!
As their city was under siege by enemies, the people in Samaria were faced with unbearable suffering: the enemy was at the door, people were already dying of starvation, there was famine in the land, food prices were soaring uncontrollably and it seemed as if there was no hope for them.
In these dark times, four lepers decided to go out into the enemy camp to see if there was any hope for them there. As they entered the camp, they saw that God had delivered the people of Samaria from their enemy. The besieging army had fled, the huge camp was empty and it didn’t take them long to figure out that the tents were full of food for them to feast on.
While they were eating, they realized that what they were doing was wrong. They were enjoying food and good wine, while other people in Samaria were dying of hunger. They came to their senses, went out and shared the good news with the king and the people in Samaria.
These four lepers were used by God to give the good news of his salvation to the people of Samaria. They could have kept the good news to themselves but that would have been utterly selfish.
God wants to use you, just like he used the lepers, to give good news to the people around you. You have better news than they had—the good news of Jesus and the gospel. Do not keep it to yourself.
You have two choices: to stay inside the camp and enjoy the awesome comfort, or to think of the people outside of the camp and reach out to them with the good news.
Take some time to ask God to put in your path people who desperately need to hear the good news of Jesus today:
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