Thursday, August 4 – Acts 9:28-30

And he was with them, moving about freely in Jerusalem, speaking out boldly in the name of the Lord. And he was talking and arguing with the Hellenistic Jews; but they were attempting to put him to death. Now when the brothers learned of it, they brought him down to Caesarea and sent him away to Tarsus.

A new setting can change dramatically when you make a few friends. What was a scary, lonely, environment becomes a little bit more comfortable as you get to know those around you. After being brought into the community of disciples, Saul continued his ministry of sharing and proclaiming the gospel with the strength of God and the support of his brothers and sisters in Christ. As he answered the calling he was given by God, he now had the group around him that watched out for him and cared about his well-being and the advancement of the gospel. When they saw their brother being plotted against, they came together to help him advance the gospel somewhere else. Recognizing his calling and the danger he faced, they cared for him so that he could continue to proclaim the gospel.

Who are the believers that support you? Do they encourage you in your calling and watch your back when tough times come? As brothers and sisters in Christ, one of the greatest gifts we give to one another is encouragement. Even when difficult circumstances arise, we can remind one another of our calling and who God has made us to be. Sometimes that means prayerfully commissioning someone to another place God has called them through a job change or season change. May we do so as the early church, encouraging, praying for, and supporting one another as we each press on for the sake of Christ and the advancement of His kingdom.

• Who are some people who are most encouraging to you? What do they encourage you in?
• Who is can you support or encourage in the faith today?
• Pray and thank God for your support system of brothers and sisters in Christ.