Acts 16:1-5

Spend time in prayer and silence with God, asking Him to meet with you and speak to you.

Bible Reading

He (Paul) came to Derbe and then to Lystra, where a disciple named Timothy lived, whose Mother was a Jewess and a believer, but whose father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him. Paul wanted to take him along on the journey, so he circumcised him because of the Jews who lived in that area, for they all knew that his father was a Greek. As they traveled from town to town, they delivered the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem for the people to obey. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and grew daily in numbers.

– Acts 16:1-5

Devotion

As Paul heads out on his second missionary journey, he enlists the help of a young believer named Timothy. Even though he was young, Timothy had a good reputation with the other believers in Lystra. Paul knew the importance of investing spiritually in the lives of younger believers. Timothy would be a valuable partner for Paul and would later go on to pastor the church at Ephesus. Paul would repeat this strategy of multiplication throughout the life of his ministry. Paul poured into others so that they could continue the work of the Gospel wherever it was planted.

The Big Question

Odds are that you are where you are spiritually because someone took the time to invest in your walk with Christ. We all owe a great debt of gratitude to those who came before us and chose to invest in us spiritually. Take the time today to thank the Lord for those who invested in your spiritual journey. Who are you pouring into? Who is your Timothy? Who is God leading you to come alongside of and encourage them in their spiritual walk?

Conclude your time in prayer and silence, reflecting on what God revealed to you today.