Power and calm of the Gospel

"The gospel ... the power of God to save anyone who believes." Romans 1. 16

"He will be like a tree planted near the waters." Jeremiah 17. 8

As I strolled along the Rhone, I was struck by the impression of calm and power that it releases. Nothing can stop it, it has been channeled to avoid bank erosion and flooding; But it is sufficient for very heavy rains to get him out of bed; Any human activity in the vicinity is then paralyzed.

This power and calm reminded me of the Gospel which is proclaimed today in so many different ways ; Nothing could and can not stop it. Neither the opposition of men, nor the difficulties of communication or the differences of culture, nor the lack of financial or logistical means can slow down its progress.

If evangelization were a human work, it would have been bogged down for a long time, for so many obstacles have arisen, so many difficulties have reached the brothers and sisters who have devoted themselves to this work.

At the beginning of the book of Acts, we see that the adversaries of the early Christians were disconcerted by the miracles that accompanied the word announced by the disciples. These adversaries sought to silence the messengers with good news that they did not want to hear. We even see them trying to kill the apostles (Acts 5:33).

The proclamation of the Gospel has its source in the love which God bears to all men in the power of his Spirit; This is what allows this mission to resist blocking attempts.

Let us listen to these words of the Lord : "He who believes in me, as the Scripture hath said, rivers of living water will flow from the depths of his being" (John 7:38). There are two conditions for this water to spread and give life : to believe in Him who is the very author of life, and to be filled with His Spirit (of His breath) to be animated and led by Him.

God is all-powerful and he does not need us to fulfill his plan ; But he does us the honor to call us his collaborators (1 Corinthians 3: 9), each with his own service. What we all have in common is the privilege and duty to intercede with the Father for his will to be done, the will that "all men be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth" (1 Tim. 2. 4).

Source (To pleasing the Lord)