March 27, 2008 - Acts 5:5

“When Ananias heard this, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard what had happened.” Acts 5:5.
Ananias and his wife, Sapphira, lied to Holy Spirit by withholding some of the proceeds from the sale of some land that they owned. When confronted by this by Peter, Ananias collapsed on the ground dead. We don’t know what caused the death, whether it was a heart attack from the shock of being exposed to their deception, or just what. But this much we do know: he fell down dead.
And then this verse indicates that “great fear seized all who heard what had happened.” It isn’t clear whether the “all” in this verse are people in this early Christian community or in Jerusalem, at large. Regardless, this man’s death under these conditions struck fear in the minds and hearts of those who heard about it. At first reflection, I thought that, if I had been one who heard about this, I, too, would have had a strong sense of awe, wonder, and fear at this situation. Upon further thought, though, I realized that God is just as active in our world today as He was in those days with that early community. The problem is not with God; it is with me.
How much do I take life, and the “normal” goings on of it, for granted? This man died suddenly. I honestly do not believe that he thought that his life was so fragile. Otherwise, he and his wife would have done things differently.
Questions to consider: How much do I take life for granted? What do I understand “the fear of the Lord” to be? How fragile is life to me, and how does that affect the way that I live my life?
Prayer: Father, help me not to take You for granted. And help me to look to You with a healthy dose of awe and fear, knowing that You are God and I am not. Amen.