…woe is me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Corinthians 9:16b

 Traffic lights, Crossing Guards, and railroad crossing gates all have a purpose and that is to prevent something bad from happening to drivers or pedestrians. Without them, we are vulnerable to the dangers of cars running into us, children being struck crossing the road, or our vehicle smashed by a passing train. They serve a very specific purpose and without them, our lives would most likely suffer.

 In today’s scripture the Apostle Paul said “woe is me if I do not preach”. God called him into the ministry in a special way. His life was radically changed and because of his loyalty to God, we have scripture to reference and guide our daily lives as children of God. Without his dedication to preach Christ, we might not know about God’s love and His forgiveness through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

 The question that you need to ask yourself, “what is my purpose, my ministry, my reason Jesus saved me”? You could fill in the blank using today’s scripture…woe is me if I do not ______________. What is your woe? Are you actively living out your purpose? The realization that if you aren’t doing God’s bidding, others probably suffer.

 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. 1 Corinthians 1:9

 1 Corinthians 1:9 tells us that if you are a child of God, He chose you to have fellowship with His Son. That means you have a reason for your salvation and part of His plan to touch the lives of those outside the faith through your specific ministry; your talents and abilities He’s given you.  

Take some time this week to ask God, “what is my woe and how can I fulfill Your purpose in my life”. God will give you that answer and it’s up to you to see it through. Others suffer when you don’t fulfill God’s purpose for your life.