When we think of historic, trailblazing missionaries, the name of George Liele (1750–1820) doesn’t leap to mind. Perhaps it should. Born into slavery, Liele came to Christ in Georgia and gained his freedom prior to the American Revolutionary War. He took the message of Jesus to Jamaica, ministering to the slaves in the plantations there, and served as the founding pastor of two African American churches in Savannah, Georgia—one of which is considered the “mother church of Black Baptists.”
Liele’s remarkable life of kingdom service may have been forgotten by some, but his spiritual service will never be forgotten by God. Neither will the work you do for God. The letter to the Hebrews encourages us with these words, “God is not unjust; he will not forget your work and the love you have shown him as you have helped his people and continue to help them” (6:10). God’s faithfulness can never be underestimated, for He truly knows and remembers everything done in His name. And so Hebrews encourages us, “Imitate those who through faith and patience inherit what has been promised” (v. 12).
If we serve behind the scenes in our church or community, it might be easy to feel our labor is unappreciated. Take heart. Whether or not our work is recognized or rewarded by the people around us, God is faithful. He’ll never forget us.
By Bill Crowder
REFLECT & PRAY
What service do you do for God? How does knowing He doesn’t forget your service encourage you?
Loving God, my service to You is far from perfect, but I also know that as I serve You, that service is remembered and valued by You. Thank You for equipping me to serve.
The letter of Hebrews encourages believers in Jesus to continue to live in the power of the Spirit. In earlier days, those to whom this letter was written had shown courage and concern for one another (10:32–34). They were living witnesses to God, who sacrificed His Son so we could be reconciled to Him. Because of Jesus’ death and resurrection, we’re now free from the “fear of death” (2:15) and a self-centered way of life (6:10–12). But then, as now, time and trouble have a way of wearing us down. And the temptation is always to avoid situations where we might face persecution. So while the author went into great detail to show how the temple foreshadowed Jesus, his purpose was to urge his readers to never slide back into something less than a living demonstration of the Spirit of God.
Mart DeHaan
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