A WORD FOR TODAY, July 18, 2025
Peggy Hoppes
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Blessings. Peg
A WORD FOR TODAY, July 18, 2025
“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, ‘How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!’ But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, ‘Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?’ So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ.” Romans 10:14-17, WEB
Yesterday I wrote, “So today, let us begin to pray for the unsaved and ask God to guide us to speak His light and forgiveness into their life. Perhaps one day soon they will no longer be enemies but will be brothers and sisters in Christ. It will never happen if we do not begin with prayer, and then God will make amazing things happen.” We begin every work for God’s Kingdom with prayer.
My husband and I are leaving tomorrow morning with a team for a mission trip to another country. We will be serving a community that cares for young people who are in crisis, particularly girls. We will be renovating a building that the community plans to make into a preschool and ministering to the women and children who live there. We will attend a couple of festivals where we will share God’s grace with people who live in a nearby village. While most of the people who live in the community have faith in Jesus, we will meet people who are unsaved. It will be up to us to hear God’s voice and reach out according to His good and perfect will. We will not “save” anyone, but perhaps we will be able to touch them so that they will see His light and experience His forgiveness so that they will believe in Jesus.
This is why prayer is vital. We have to take time to hear what God has to say, to understand how God plans to use us in a situation beyond our comfort zone. It is not possible for everyone to take a mission trip to a foreign country. It takes time and resources. Thankfully, we have been well supported by so many people who have made donations of gifts for us to take. We have been in prayer for months as we have made decisions and as we have struggled with some challenges. We leave early tomorrow morning, confident that we are prepared, not only to do the work we have planned to do and to listen to God when we face the unexpected opportunities to serve Him during our trip.
On the mount when Jesus was transfigured, Peter thought he knew what was happening. He thought Jesus was being anointed to be king of the Jews. He thought that they were seeing the beginning of the final harvest of salvation, but his idea of salvation was not what God intended. Peter saw a glimmer of the glory that Jesus would have one day, but he did not understand God’s timing. He thought this glory proved Jesus would not have to die. He was wrong. At that most incredible moment, Peter interrupted what God was doing and told Jesus it was good they were there. He offered to build tabernacles for Moses, Elijah, and Jesus. While Peter was still talking, a cloud descended over the scene and God spoke. He said, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased. Listen to him!”
God said, “Listen to Jesus!” It was time for Peter to stop interrupting him with his own ideas. Peter, James, and John were terrified by the experience, but Jesus touched them and told them not to be afraid. We like to be in control; we like to make our own decisions. We are good about praying for those who need help from God, but we aren’t quite as good about asking God to guide and direct our steps.
Jesus speaks through His Church, through believers who share the Good News of God’s love and forgiveness through Jesus Christ. We do this in word and deed. It is tempting for us to interrupt God’s plan with our own ideas, just like Peter. However, we must pray and listen, follow Jesus’ lead as we go out into the world to share His Good News. I have to confess that while I’m not “terrified” like the disciples, but I do worry whether I can do what God is calling me to do. We will face so many obstacles as we do ministry this week. I just need to remember every day that Jesus is with us, He gives us everything we need, we just need to listen to Him. The key for us this week is to remember that the only way strangers will ever meet Jesus is if we willingly share our faith with them.
*** Please note, I will not have time or access to be able to write and post A WORD FOR TODAY. I will return on July 28th, hopefully inspired with lots of stories and insights into God’s grace. Please pray with us during this week for traveling mercies, for courage to speak the Gospel, for God’s protection and provision. Please pray also for all those who will hear the Gospel that they might believe in Jesus and experience God’s forgiveness.