“Nor do I count my life of value to myself, so that I may joyfully finish my course and the ministry which I have received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the Gospel of the grace of God.”
— Acts 20:24

I once heard about an unstoppable evangelist from Africa. In order for him to not be able to spread the Gospel, the Muslims cut off his feet just about at the ankle bone. He is not able to walk at all. An African missionary showed me a picture of this man, which I showed to my family.

He was sitting on a donkey, and I asked the question, “Does this man walk on those stubs?” “No, he can’t do that. He crawls.” And then I focused my attention on his knees. If you have ever seen a big, old oak tree, with thick bark with crevices all over. That is what that man’s knees looked like.

I remember a number of weeks later it was raining on one Thursday night when our family goes out and shares the Gospel with others. It was raining, and I said to my daughter, “Are you going out tonight in this rain?”

And she said, “If that man can crawl on his knees, I can go out in my car in the rain.”

We should not allow obstacles to prevent our service for Christ.

Often when people don’t want to do something, they will offer up any number of excuses to try to wriggle out of their responsibilities. But when we consider that Jesus voluntarily suffered so horribly for us, then we should pray for the ability to follow through on our obligations.

May God give us grace to be sold out for Him—like the man with no feet.

Lord, give me strength for today to spread Your Word. Forgive me for allowing petty obstacles to keep me from doing what You have called me to do. Please, bless richly those who suffer for You who never shrink back from their Christian duty…

BY GOD’S STRENGTH WE CAN
SERVE HIM DESPITE SETBACKS.