Greece and Crete (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
“Dear Paul,
Why have you left me here?…I’m hurting…I’m discouraged…things aren’t working out…I don’t like the island of Crete anymore…and I’m ready for you to bring me home.
Sincerely, Titus.”
Paul’s steady hand began penning his reply.
“To Titus, my true son in our common faith: grace and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Savior. For this cause I left you in Crete…”
Sometimes we need to be reminded that there is a cause.
Crete can be hazardous to our emotional, mental, and spiritual health, and when we are experiencing opposition, challenges, and setbacks we, too, need to know that God had a reason for stationing us there.
It’s not for nothing that God has left you on Crete.
Paul continued: “For this cause I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking.”
Things are out of order on Crete, and God is looking for people with the grace, courage, and tenacity to rearrange them. Paul told Titus that part of his rearrangement campaign included “ordaining elders in every city.”
He said essentially: “Titus, when God gets through with you every city on Crete will have mature, church elders ministering and serving God’s people. They’ll be preaching the Word, encouraging the saints, and refuting heresy and error. It wasn’t for nothing that I left you there. God loves the Cretans, and He has a plan for them. That’s why He gave them you. There’s no return plane ticket in this envelope, Titus. There’s just the reminder that if you cling to God and never, ever back down, the island of Crete will be eternally and deeply changed. Carry on! Confidently, Paul.”*
For this same cause God has stationed you on your modern-day island of Crete!
*See: the New Testament book of Titus
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I wonder if I should apply this ‘Crete’ to the cancer ordeal my bro-in-law is experiencing…the side effects of the chemo are so hard on him and on those who love him. Why God does Ron have to suffer like this? Give me the faith to believe you will heal him. May the ’cause’ help to work some good out of this. Right now with my limited view, I can’t see it. And yet I know without a doubt that You CAN heal and that you will never leave us or forsake us. Let Your Kingdom come and let Your will be done in this situation as it is in Heaven. There’s no cancer in Heaven.
Hi Donna,
Would you be willing to share with me a little bit about what brother-in-law’s situation?
Chris