by Bible League International

Verse of the Day and Devotion

I am glad about the coming of Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus, for what was lacking on your part they supplied. For they refreshed my spirit and yours. Therefore acknowledge such men.  - I Corinthians 16:17-18 NKJV

Devotion

In the main area of life to which you have been called you were going along as you should have been going along. You were going along as planned. The things that you were supposed to be doing you were doing. Everything was good. Everything was moving in the right direction. True, there were some things that needed to be done that weren't being done, but those were things outside of your particular gifting. As far as you were concerned, they could wait. Wait for what? You weren't quite sure about that, but you weren't going to let it worry you.

As it turned out, you didn't have to worry about it, because the Lord saw to the problem for you. He sent you what you needed. He sent you the people that could take on what needed to be taken on. Like Stephanas, Fortunatus, and Achaicus in our verses for today, what was lacking on your part they supplied. They had the gifts that you lacked. They had the experience that you lacked as well. They started what needed to be started and it was a blessing to your cause. Things would be different. Things would be better than before. Indeed, they would be better than ever.

Even further, it was more that just a supplying of what was lacking. It was also a refreshing of your spirit, and the spirits of your fellow workers, at the same time. The people the Lord sent had special gifts, spiritual gifts, that seemed to fire up the gifts of everyone else. The whole effort was refreshed and renewed. You thought the things that weren't getting done could wait. Now, in retrospect, you're wondering how you ever got along without them. Your service in the Kingdom of God has been taken to a whole new level.

Don't forget, therefore, to do what the Apostle Paul says you should do. Don't forget to acknowledge those that have come to help you. Don't forget to acknowledge their special gifts and their service. And don't allow jealousy and envy of what they have, and of what they brought to the whole effort, to keep you from doing the right thing.