50 Ways to Get Through Easter... Vigor!

“Keep watch over yourselves and over the whole flock of which the Holy Spirit has appointed you overseers, in which you tend the Church of God...” (Acts 20: 28)

Easter Day #46: Vigor!

Vigor is the trigger that makes faith bigger!

A scriptural feature of this week before Pentecost has to be the Apostle Paul’s farewell. As we approach the end of the Acts of the Apostles, Paul’s “last mission chapter” is his defense of the faith before Rome and the powers that be. As he says his goodbyes to the people of Ephesus, or Corinth, or his friend Timothy; he does so with a sense of accomplishment and purpose, preparing himself for the VIGOR required to face the final trials of his ministry!

In the above passage, he challenges us to do what we’ve been asked to do, and to do it well, or the whole thing comes undone. Read more of the Acts and you’ll see a proud Apostle Paul reminding us too of all the work he has done, almost saying, “Don’t screw this up! I’ve worked too hard for this to end up a sad ending of a long movie. This is about more than us. It is about bringing the Church into the world!”

The word that best describes Paul here has to be VIGOR, and the goofy rhyme above was never more true than with him and his approach to sharing the faith... Vigor is the trigger that makes faith bigger!

Paul was never anything except unique. He was not very nice, and not very patient. Paul was not “touchy feely”, but he gave it all, and he gave it all for Christ; and frankly he didn’t care much for the excuses that came with the challenges placed before him and the people he served! This VIGOR makes for a HUGE example of faith.

Paul argued his case, and he lost his head! But the Body of Christ was so strong, because of his travels and his mission, that the Church was truly handed over to us as strong as ever, and it was ready to grow in the Holy Spirit! Paul still speaks to US today, and gives us a Church that needs to be cared for, and shared with all! Let there be no doubt, that the VIGOR of St. Paul must be alive and well in our hearts this day. Our VIGOR must be the trigger to make THE FAITH bigger!

I love that rhyme. I sound like “Mr. T”...
“I pity the fools who don’t play by Paul’s rules!”