“And now, compelled by the Spirit, I am going to Jerusalem, not knowing what will happen to me there. I only know that in every city the Holy Spirit warns me that prison and hardships are facing me. However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me—the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

“Now I know that none of you among whom I have gone about preaching the kingdom will ever see me again.
Acts 20:22-25

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I’ll never forget waking up to an ambulance siren as it echoed through downtown Chicago. It’s common when you live in the city, but this time it wasn’t someone else being rescued. It was me. When I was a senior in Bible college, I experienced my first seizure while walking from work to the Red Line train. If it wasn’t for a stranger calling 9-1-1 and paramedics coming to my aide, you may not be reading this today.

Can you imagine our world without first responders? Police, firefighters, paramedics and EMTs willingly jump into emergency situations. They faithfully provide critical, lifesaving care at all costs. What amazes me is that they choose to step in long before the emergency line rings. They don’t know what dangers will come their way, but that doesn’t stop them from diving in for your sake and mine.

The Apostle Paul had the faith of a first responder. He followed the Holy Spirit into unpredictably challenging circumstances so that people could receive the Good News of God’s grace. Nothing was going to stop Paul in his tracks, even if he ended up in jail or worse for his faith in Christ. He knew firsthand that the spiritual journey could be grueling, yet like a first responder, potential hardships never deterred him from his mission. Like Jesus, Paul experienced suffering, but it was totally worth it.

I wonder if you and I will ever be known for being as faithful as a first responder. I mean, what choices can we make now to prepare us for whatever hardships God allows to come our way? Following Paul’s example, how can we ready our hearts to show God’s love to people when it’s hard? I don’t know what challenges may come our way, but I pray that you and I will take one step closer to being as faithful as a first responder each day.

Next Steps

When have you pushed through in caring for someone when it was difficult? How did God prepare you to be faithful in that situation? If you’ve never experienced this, what do you admire about first responders and how could following Jesus help you be more like them? Consider discussing these questions with a trusted friend or in your small group.