The Attractiveness of a Surrendered Life - Crosswalk the Devotional - August 19

Truths observed at the intersection of faith and life by Crosswalk.com editors [Crosswalk.com Logo]( Crosswalk: The Devotional [Devotionals]( [Newsletters]( [e-Cards]( The Attractiveness of a Surrendered LifeBy Sarah Phillips When Jesus heard this, he said to him, "You still lack one thing. Sell everything you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me." [Luke 18:22]( NIV "I have been all things unholy. If God can work through me, he can work through anyone." St. Francis of Assisi Have you ever wished you could share your [faith]( with friends or loved ones who do not know Christ? Or have you ever worried that our culture is slipping farther and farther away from God's truth, but don't know how to turn it around? In past [devotionals]( several of us have quoted St. Francis of Assisi's approach to evangelism: "Preach the Gospel all times and when necessary, use words." St. Francis' entire life was one of radical conversion that led to many giving their lives to Christ. Let's see what we can apply from his medieval story to modern times. Francis' story takes place in the early 1200's - an era when Christianity enjoyed prominence in Europe. But sadly, even with widespread power and acceptance of the Church, many Christians did not lead lives in keeping with their faith. Francis was no exception. He came from a wealthy Italian family; his father earned a comfortable life as a successful cloth merchant, and his mother was of noble birth. The handsome, witty Francis was spoiled rotten by his parents, showing more interest in playing than in his academics or his father's career. Francis' life of ease and play received a rude but life-changing interruption in 1201. After being captured in a small battle between rival cities, Francis spent a year sick and alone. His time of weakness and contemplation made him realize how useless his life had been up to that point. But transformation for Francis was slow. After he regained his health, Francis desired personal glory. He signed up for the military, even fancying one day he'd be a great prince. But illness and a sense that God was calling him back to Assisi brought him home again. It was around this time friends began to notice a lasting change in this attractive, party guy. Friends asked if he had a woman on his mind. He responded, "I am about to take a wife of surpassing fairness." But this wife was not a mortal woman. Instead, Francis renounced his inheritance, gave what he had to the poor, and wedded himself to "Lady Poverty" (much to his father's fury). Not long after taking his vow of poverty, Francis heard Christ speak to him while he was praying in a small, shabby chapel. The voice said, "Francis, go out and build up my house, for it is nearly falling down." At first, Francis thought he needed to repair the actual building he was praying in. But soon it became clear Francis' mission was really to restore genuine faith among the church - God's people. So Francis began spending most of his time praying, serving the sick and preaching repentance throughout the region. He had no intentions of starting a community of religious, but single men of diverse backgrounds became intrigued by Francis' humility and wholehearted devotion to the Gospel. And not long after men began joining his mission, a privileged young woman named Clare left her riches behind, bringing women alongside Francis to restore genuine faith among the people. With so many joining in, Francis realized he was becoming the leader of a monastic movement. So, he sought to keep their focus on Christ by establishing a rule of life on Scripture. In short, the mission of the Franciscan monks and Poor Clare nuns would be to "Announce the kingdom! Possess no gold or silver or copper in your purses, no traveling bag, no sandals, no staff" ([Luke 9:1-3](. They imitated the early disciples by traveling in twos, owning few personal possessions, and serving those in need while sharing the Gospel to all. Their spiritual legacy continues with Franciscan and Poor Clare communities in regions all over the world today. [CONTINUE READING →]( You May Also Like: [10 Scriptures about Death to Comfort the Grieving]( Lori Hatcher I didn’t fully understand the depths of grief until the year my family lost two sisters and a brother within eight months. [CONTINUE READING →]( [Is it Wrong for a Christian to Attend a Gay Wedding?]( John UpChurch You might as well prepare yourself now. Someday soon, the invitation will pop into your mailbox for a gay wedding. But should you go? [CONTINUE READING →](                       Bible Trivia Question of the Day                                       What object did King Hezekiah break in pieces because the children of Israel had burnt incense unto it? A. High places B. Groves C. Brasen serpent D. Altar from Samaria [ANSWER THE QUESTION →]( [Crosswalk.com Logo]( [Read about Salem Web Network]( | [Unsubscribe]( [Email Preference Center]( | [View in Browser]( © 2021 Salem Web Network. All rights reserved. 111 Virginia Street, Suite 200, Richmond, VA 23219. This email is never sent unsolicited. You are receiving this email because your email address, {EMAIL}, is signed up to receive newsletters, updates, and special offers from Crosswalk.com - The Devotional. [Link](