I sighed and you [God] heard me. I wavered and you steadied me. I traveled along the broad way of the world, but you did not desert me.

—Augustine, Confessions, 6.5.8

Prayer is an offering that belongs to God and is acceptable to him: it is the offering he has asked for, the offering he planned as his own. We must dedicate this offering with our whole heart, we must fatten it on faith, tend it by truth, keep it unblemished through innocence and clean through chastity, and crown it with love.

Prayer gives the armor of patience to those who suffer, who feel pain, who are distressed. It strengthens the power of grace, so that faith may know what it is gaining from the Lord, and understand what it is suffering for the name of God. Prayer is the one thing that can conquer God. But Christ has willed that it should work no evil, and has given it all power over good. What more need be said on the duty of prayer? Even the Lord himself prayed. To him be honor and power for ever and ever.

—Tertullian, On Prayer, 28-29

Though I am free and belong to no one, I have made myself a slave to everyone, to win as many as possible. To the Jews I became like a Jew, to win the Jews. To those under the law I became like one under the law (though I myself am not under the law), so as to win those under the law. To those not having the law I became like one not having the law (though I am not free from God’s law but am under Christ’s law), so as to win those not having the law. To the weak I became weak, to win the weak. I have become all things to all people so that by all possible means I might save some. I do all this for the sake of the gospel, that I may share in its blessings.

—1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (TNIV)

On Wednesday we saw Paul giving the Corinthians a lesson on the nature of Christian love. Today’s passage is an extension of that teaching. Here we see Paul practicing what he has preached to them. He uses himself as an example for them to follow. Notice here how Paul forsakes his Christian freedom for the sake of bringing the Gospel to various people. He ignores his own needs so that he might be able to attract and win hearts and minds for the Christ whom he loves and who claimed him on the road to Damascus.

As you continue to observe a Holy Lent, think on this. Who is it that you are serving? Are you willing to lose yourself so that others might be able to gain Christ? As Paul reminds us, not everyone will accept our gracious invitation to enter into a life-giving relationship with Christ. But that is not the point of the passage above. What Paul is reminding us is that the way we live our lives and conduct ourselves around others is a sermon in itself. You do not have to be a minister to be a preacher. You do not even have to be a good speaker. You simply need to live your life the way Christ lived his. When you are able to live your life for Christ instead of yourself, that will be enough to attract people’s attention and help make them ready for you to tell them about your secret. After that, it is out of your hands.

Recognize to whom you owe the fact that you exist, that you breathe, that you understand, that you are wise, and, above all, that you know God and hope for the kingdom of heaven and the vision of glory, now darkly and as in a mirror but then with greater fullness and purity. You have been made a child of God [by faith], co-heir with Christ. Where did you get all this, and from whom? Is it not God who asks you now in your turn to show yourself generous above all other creatures and for the sake of all other creatures? Friends, let us never allow ourselves to misuse what has been give us by God’s gift. Let us not labor to help up and hoard riches while others remain in need.

—Gregory of Nazianzus, Oration 14

So let us believe also in the Holy Spirit. He is God, you see, because it is written, “God is Spirit.” Through him we have received the forgiveness of sins, through him we believe in the resurrection of the flesh, through him we hope for life everlasting. But take care you don’t fall into error by counting, and imagine I have said there are three gods, because I have given the one God a third name. There is one substance of godhead in the Trinity, one power, one might, one majesty, one name of divinity.

—Augustine, Sermon 215.8