Wednesday, July 19 – Acts 20:25-28

“And now behold, I know that all of you, among whom I went about preaching the kingdom, will no longer see my face. Therefore, I testify to you this day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose of God. Be on guard for yourselves and for all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood.”

The last words of an important figure in our lives often don’t pass quickly but linger into the future. A parent gives their child final wisdom before they set off to college; we give our spouses last words of instruction on what we need them to do while we are out for an errand. Even more precious are the last words of a loved one who is near death. This passage captures some of the last words Paul had to the elders of Ephesus, and he wanted them to do two specific things: remember the mission he lived for and stay on guard to keep that mission in the days ahead. Paul’s last words to Ephesus weren’t full of hidden wisdom; he simply reminded them what he lived for.

Many desire wise and profound words to share with others, but are our lives testimonies of God’s grace and transformation? If we wanted to train for an Olympic race, it would be better to know an Olympian’s training habits than his or her best quotes about running. These athlete’s lives are a testimony of how to train, eat, and sleep to run the race well. In a similar way, our lives should be a testimony—not of our ow goodness but of God’s constant transformation that changes the way we live for His glory.

• What legacy are you building that you are most proud of?
• What are some areas of your life you hope someone else would not replicate? What does that say about what needs to change for you?
• Pray and thank God for the opportunity to live for Him. Ask Him to transform your heart daily to reflect Him.