But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.
Acts 20:24
When Jesus is your life and when the gospel drives your story, you can feel what Paul is saying here with passion and can identify with his desire. Life has a fulfilling priority as a disciple of Jesus. We gain so much more than just heaven as a final destination. We gain a life now that is marked by the precious love of God in Christ. And it is beautiful.
What drove Paul forward to Jerusalem where God was warning him to prepare for hardships and imprisonment, was the passion to bring the gospel to those who did not know Jesus. He was glad to face this unknown because of what he did know. What Paul knew about Christ compelled him and strengthened his resolve to preach the gospel, even in hardship. His life was threatened, but his security in Christ was not!
I don’t compare to Paul, but I want to. I want to always have the gospel as the story of my life. I want Jesus made known in how I live, how I work, how I face life’s difficulties, and in how I trust Him in all of my experiences. And so I pray for the strength of the gospel message to support my thinking and actions. “...if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus...”
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