So, being affectionately desirous of you, we were ready to share with you not only the gospel of God but also our own selves, because you had become very dear to us. – 1 Thessalonians 2:8
As you may remember in your history class, the Statue of Liberty was France’s gift to the U.S. as a symbol of lasting friendship between the two nations. On October 28, 1886, Lady Liberty took her place on Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The famous inscription from the poem “The New Colossus” by Emma Lazarus, pleads, “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free, the wretched refuse of your teeming shore.” Lady Liberty and her words remind me of a greater inscription on the pages of Scripture where our Lord pleads, “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest . . .” (Mt. 11:28) You’ve come to know this rest in Jesus Christ at some point in your life. Two questions come to mind: 1. Who prayed for you to come to this rest and, 2. For whom is the Lord leading you to pray the same thing? Our church seats are filled with people like you who’ve come to know this rest in Jesus. But we have empty seats ready to be filled with more who need to know this rest in Jesus. Would you personally (and as a family) make it a point to ask the Lord to show you people in your neighborhood, place of work, recreation, class, club, vendor or wherever who need this rest in Jesus and for whom you can pray? And then begin praying and see how the Lord opens doors for you to share the gospel. Make this a great spiritual endeavor for 2026!
