Mission - Acts 28:20

"I asked you to come here today so we could get acquainted and so I could tell you that I am bound by this chain because I believe that the hope of Israel--the Messiah--has already come." Acts 28:20

Paul never loses sight of the mission at hand. After being beaten, imprisoned and shipwrecked, he is now in Rome living in relative comfort (even though still a prisoner). I would want to rest, relax, maybe make some friends--at least "test the waters" before jumping back into risky controversy. Not Paul. Three days after landing, he is right back at it. I am sure his perspective is that he has no time to waste, but I am quite certain that I would have been able to convince myself that a little break was well-deserved. And this is precisely my problem--I am too easily distracted by worldly comforts (maybe a desire to be liked or accepted?), and my vision for my mission becomes blurry. This has always been mankind's trap. He is laser-focused when God first implants the mission, and is very productive for awhile. Then, after a time, he wants to rest and enjoy the "fruits." Then that time gets a little longer until all he is doing is resting, enjoying and getting caught up in dealing with the details of living life, that he has forgotten what his original mission was. Satan may not have won my soul, but he has certainly neutralized my effectiveness in the world around me.

Jesus, keep my mission highlighted before me at all times. I am SO easily distracted that I have made Satan's job way too easy. Keep me from being deceived as to what the real battle is everyday.

Today's reading: Job 18; Ps. 114; Acts 27, 28