New Beginnings

New Beginnings

Priscilla

Read: Acts 18:1-4, 18-21

Priscilla’s life as she knew it came to an abrupt end when Emperor Claudius expelled all the Jews from Rome. She and her husband faced an uncertain future in the thoroughly wicked city of Corinth, but she didn’t waste time dwelling on what she had left behind. Priscilla and Aquila took up their trade of tent making, and when they met the apostle Paul, they invited him to live and work with them. We don’t know when Priscilla became a Christian, but she took full advantage of Paul’s presence and the opportunity to learn about Christ from such an excellent teacher.

Eighteen months later, Priscilla faced another new beginning when she and Aquila accompanied Paul to Ephesus. Although Paul left soon after their arrival, he trusted the couple to continue the work of spreading the good news about Jesus Christ. Priscilla had made the most of her time under Paul’s training. She and Aquila planted a new church in Ephesus and equipped the new believers until God led them back to Rome after Claudius’s death. After they returned to Rome, they opened their home as the gathering place for believers there.

We all face times when our lives take an unexpected turn. Job changes force us to move, relationships end, best friends move away, or our financial situations drastically change. At times like these, it’s hard not to get stuck in the past, remembering how things used to be. Priscilla’s life encourages us to look around and make the most of every opportunity God sends—new friends and relationships, new ministries, new opportunities to learn. Because of her attitude, Priscilla’s life influenced countless people. She reminds us that under God’s leadership, when one thing comes to an end, we can always expect to find a new beginning.

Make the most of every opportunity.

Colossians 4:5