Scripture to Read: 1 Corinthians 16:12
As Christians, as we serve our Lord, we have the distinct privilege of serving with other Christians in ministry. As God led Paul to write, we read in 1 Corinthians 16:12, “But concerning Apollos our brother, I encouraged him greatly to come to you with the brethren; and it was not at all his desire to come now, but he will come when he has opportunity.” God had Paul mention Apollos again, for we know from earlier studies in 1 Corinthians that God had used Apollos in Corinth to share Christ with the people in Corinth and that many had come to know Christ as Lord due to Apollos’s ministry there. God had Paul tell the believers in Corinth that he had strongly encouraged Apollos to visit Corinth with the other brothers in Christ that Paul was sending. And though God did not have Paul share where Apollos was serving the Lord at that time, God did have Paul tell the Corinthians that Apollos did not desire to return to Corinth yet but that Apollos would come when he had the opportunity. There are times when others will invite us to be a part of a ministry that they are excited about, but the timing for us may not fit our schedule. As we serve our Lord, just because an opportunity is offered does not mean that we are supposed to immediately go. We must seek the Lord, and if He has us serving in some other capacity, it is OK for us to say no until God reveals another opportunity that fits us well.
Challenge & Application
Why is not every opportunity of ministry offered to us ones that we must fulfill?
How do we know when to go and when to simply stay and serve well in what God has currently called us to do?
Don’t forget to pray using the A.C.T.S. (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication) method!