Daily Devotional for Wednesday, February 19

Paul Testified Concerning His sufferings

"From henceforth let no man trouble me: for I bear in my body the marks of the Lord Jesus. Breth­ ren, the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen;' Galatians 6:17,18.

Oxen are quite impressive when it comes to pulling a load. Weighing in at fifteen hundred to as much as three thousand pounds, on average they can pull a load equal to their own weight. While in the 1800's they were called poor man's power, it remains that they are the most used draft animal in the world. The word "acre" itself was once defined as the area that one pair of oxen, hooked to a single-beam walking plow, could plow on the longest day of the year.

You can identify a working ox by looking at its neck and shoulders. The yoke worn by the oxe to which the plow is attached wears amark into the animal's hide due to the constant pushing against the yoke. You can know it is a service animal by the marks in its body.

Paul referred to the marks he bore in his body as speaking for themselves. Their message? Paul had served Jesus faithfully without concern for his own life. Paul did not need to make speeches, win arguments or prove that he was a servant of Christ because the scars he bore were the evidence of his love and commitment to Jesus. We are never closer to Jesus than when we are suffering for His righteous cause.

Should we not expect to suffer for Jesus? Hear the words of our Lord, "If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:20). What aprivilege to suffer for the cause of Christ.

CLOSING THOUGHT

An ancient Roman coin teaches the idea of sacrifice and service. On the coin is inscribed a picture of an ox with a plow on one side and an altar on the other, with the words, "Ready for Either.' Serving Jesus will make its mark on you.

John Nations