The Lord is awe-inspiring, fascinating, intriguing, majestic, and full of splendor: breathtaking! Here is what I saw of him in Acts 4:27-30,
“Indeed Herod and Pontius Pilate met together with the Gentiles and the people of Israel in this city to conspire against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed. They did what your power and will had decided beforehand should happen. Now, Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. Stretch out your hand to heal and perform miraculous signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”
After being threatened by the chief priests and elders of Israel, Peter and John went back to the disciples after their release. They reported all that had happened to them in their being jailed and threatened for healing a cripple and teaching the people about Jesus at the temple. The above few verses are the last part of the disciple’s prayer to God upon hearing the news from Peter and John. It is not difficult to hear the appreciation and gratitude in this prayer: the appreciation and gratitude of folks who have had their sins paid for and freely given acceptance with the Creator of “heaven and earth and the sea, and everything in them.”
As I read this prayer, I ask myself this morning if I have the same sense of appreciation and gratitude for God as these believers did… after all, have I not also received from our wonderful God all these folks had received? The same God has done the same things for me as he did for these believers in the early church. I note in the context of threat these believers wanted God to bring on even more opportunities for sharing their faith.
How much greater should my appreciation and gratitude for our wonderful God be expressed by my own eagerness to pursue opportunities to share my faith in the absence of threat?!
Anything of the Lord capture your heart from Scripture today? Share your theme of worship with us from your Bible reading today. We’d love to hear from you!
(314) 814-8486
This electronic transmission and any documents accompanying this electronic transmission contain confidential information belonging to the sender. This information may contain confidential health information that is legally privileged. The information is intended only for the use of the individual or entity named above. The authorized recipient of this transmission is prohibited from disclosing this information to any other party unless required to do so by law or regulation and is required to delete or destroy the information after its stated need has been fulfilled. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any disclosure, copying, distribution or takinf of any action in reliance on or regarding the contents of this electronicallytransmitted information is strictly prohibited. If you have received this E-mail in error please notify the sender and delete this message immediately
No comments:
Post a Comment