Begin with two minutes of stillness and silence before God.

From the port city of Miletus, about 30 miles South of Ephesus, Paul sends for the elders of the Ephesian church. He has a farewell message for them. We can notice a few things here. First, Paul has no regrets about his ministry in Ephesus. He truly gave everything he had to teaching and encouraging them. Second, he knows where the Holy Spirit is leading him and that’s on to Jerusalem with difficulty ahead. Third, he reminds the elders of the responsibility they hold to protect and guide the church. False teachers will surface and deceive, so they must remain alert and sensitive to the truth. Lastly, he reminds them of their hope—they are built up by God and looking forward to an eternal inheritance. Paul ends this time by praying for these elders as everyone wept because Paul thought he’d never see them again. The chapter ends with the elders accompanying Paul to the ship as they see their beloved pastor off on his journey.

Paul has loved the believers in Ephesus, and they have loved him. He has taught them the truth, spent time discipling them, and has charged the elders with continuing to lead the church. Luke records Paul repeating to the group, “Be alert” and “Be on guard." Paul would likely repeat what’s of importance, especially if he thinks this is the last time he’ll speak to these folks. He’s encouraging them to be prepared for the spiritual battle they are facing. As I read this account, I can’t help but think of the Book of Ephesians, Paul’s letter he penned a few years after this tearful farewell to these believers. He’ll continue to encourage them to pay attention and to gain strength from the Lord as they put on His armor. This is also encouragement for you and me in today’s world. A million things are vying for our attention, pulling us in one direction or another in all facets of our being. As others have said, these attention grabbers are shaping us in one way or another. I can hear Paul telling us, “Be alert”, “Be on guard”, and “Put on the full armor of God”. (Acts 20; Ephesians 6:11 CSB)

Take two minutes to reflect in silence.

Reflection:

• Take some time to think about what might be shaping you. Maybe you’ve let your guard down and allowed things into your life that shouldn’t be there.
• Ask God to help you grow in your alertness and awareness so that you can allow His hand to shape you through your time with Him.
  
• When it comes to false teaching, you must know the truth in order to know what’s false. Study God’s truth daily on a personal level and weekly in a group setting through Sunday worship and Wednesday House Church. Small group Bible study (House Church) is truly a game changer for most of us when it comes to growing in understanding of God’s Word. Take your next step to grow in this area.