God's word has an amazing quality. It's very nature is to spread.

In that way, it's not unlike a bottle of perfume in a room. Once you open that bottle, the fragrance -- by its very nature -- will spread throughout the room.

Paul and Barnabas were going from town to town on their first missionary journey. In each town they told people about Christ, and shared the message of God's grace with them. They spoke boldly, even when they met opposition.

They uncorked the gospel's sweet fragrance. And in each town, people who heard the message believed in Jesus Christ as their Savior.

The word works. It worked in the days of Paul and Barnabas. And it works in our day, too.

It spreads a sweet fragrance of forgiveness into the hearts of sinners.

"The word of the Lord spread through the whole region" (Acts 13:49, NIV).

Jesus, thank you for the good news that I am forgiven of all my sins. Thank you for the message of the gospel. May that message spread, just as you have designed it to do.

Our Bible reading for Saturday, June 20, is 1 Kings 7:23 - 8:21, Acts 13:42 - 14:7 and Psalm 76:1-12.

Header image based on "Perfume" by Luciano Meirelles, CC By-SA 2.0