My devotional: Unstoppable: It won't halt with me.

By Liz Omondi | Email: timestodayke@ gmail.com | Image credit: elevationworship

But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20 “Go, stand in the temple courts,” he said, “and tell the people all about this new life.”

(Acts 5:19 NIV)

Sharing is caring! A common phrase used especially among Sunday schoolers and little youngsters to encourage a culture of sharing with others. As parents we try encourage our children to share their snacks, toys and other items with other children who may not necessarily have the same things or privileges they enjoy.

Like children, adults also have a natural tendency to hold on to precious items, or gifts and are not quite ready to share with others when they are still new. We only think about sharing what is no longer desirable to have a grip on, or perhaps are ‘old’ and have lost their value.

As born again Christians, we have received the most precious Gift one could ever receive, or even ask for. That is the gift of Jesus Christ and the gift of the Holy Spirit. And the Giver of this indescribable gift, God, commands us to share it with all people.

Before His ascension to heaven, Jesus Christ told his disciples in Acts 1:4-5 “On one occasion, while he was eating with them, he gave them this command: “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. 5 For John baptised with water, but in a few days you will be baptised with the Holy Spirit.”

The apostle John writes and says chapter 3:16 “ For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.” Paul is at a loss for words in how to describe this gift and simple bursts in exclamation in 2 Corinthians 9:15

“Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! Other versions say, “Thank God for this gift too wonderful for words! (NLT), “Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!” (ESV), “Thanks be unto God for his unspeakable gift.” (KJV).

When the disciples of Jesus Christ began to fully understand the Gift of God given to them and all mankind and had the privilege to walk with and listen to Him and when they received the Gift of the Holy Spirit they did not hesitate to go all out and share this Gift with everyone as they had been commanded.

While most people like to receive gifts, it is also true that not all gifts are valued by the receiver in the same way. I have a weakness chocolates, but with a wide variety of chocolates out there, I do not value them all the same way I treasure my favourite bar chocolate.

When I receive my favourite chocolate, I must confess I devour quite quickly. The good thing about this chocolate is that it can also come in mini bars and that makes it quite easy to share. So I happily share mini bars so that I can eat mine in peace.

Unfortunately, this gift gets finished and I have no more to savour, or share with others within a short period of time.

The good news of the gospel is that it will never end. And the Gift of Jesus Christ is eternal. John 6:35 Jesus said, “ “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry, and whoever believes in me will never be thirsty.”

When Peter and the other apostles had received the gift of the Holy Spirit they went all out to share the good news of Jesus Christ to everyone. The Gift enabled them to perform wonders and miracles healing many sick people. This made the priests of those days so jealous of the apostles that they tried to stop them by jailing and even killing some of them.

It is on one of these occasions when Peter was jailed that we see an angel of the Lord miraculously releasing the jailed apostles by opening the doors and encouraging them to go and stand in the temple courts to continue talking about the good news of Jesus Christ. Acts 5:19.

These apostles were made to appear before the Sanhedrin and questioned on why they continued sharing this gospel, yet they had been warned and told to stop. To this Peter and the other apostles responded

“We must obey God rather than human beings! 30 The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross. 31 God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Saviour that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins. 32 We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.” Acts 5:29-31

Even in his response, Peter still uses this opportunity to share the gist of the gospel; the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Have you received the wonderful gift of Jesus Christ? Unlike chocolate which comes in small pieces and gets finished, the benefits of believing in and obeying Jesus Christ far outweigh any other gift one will ever receive. We’re talking eternal life with the King of kings and the Lord of lords!

Like the early church, share this unstoppable Gift with everyone. Like good children of God let us remember that sharing is caring. Spread the gospel of Jesus Christ with everyone so that people will not perish. Say to yourself, it won’t halt with me.