But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law. (Gal. 4:4)
Expanded Passage: Galatians 4:4-5
It was a blistering August afternoon when I lit the match. My mom was watching soaps in the living room, and I was playing soldier in a field overgrown with weeds near our home. I had matches with me and thought I could re-create a war-ravaged scene by starting a fire and filling the air with smoke. I applied a match to a tuft of weeds and watched as the flame took hold and expanded outward in a circular pattern. What I didn’t realize was how rapidly the circle would grow.
Within seconds, panic set in as I feverishly tried to put out the fire. I rushed to the garden hose and doused what I could, but the voracious blaze consumed an entire acre of that field. Fortunately, patches of green weeds slowed the fire so I could extinguish it by stamping out sections the hose didn’t reach. My parents concluded that the burn barrel near the house must have caused it. I eventually confessed to the crime . . . in my twenties, after I moved out of the house.
When God sent Jesus into the world, the timing was perfect for a gospel wildfire. The Greek language provided a common tongue to convey an uncommon message. The Roman network of roads paved the way for traveling missionaries. The right prophetic mood prepared hearts to be receptive to the coming Messiah.
Consider how your world is ripe for a gospel wildfire.
Jim Miller is a chaplain in the Army National Guard. He and his wife, Renee, live in Washington, DC, and enjoy spending time traveling with their two children. Jim recently released his first book, Vitamin T: Essential Biblical Truths for Growing Disciples (WPH).
© 2024 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
