“While they were trying to kill him, news reached the commander of the Roman troops that the whole city of Jerusalem was in an uproar.” Acts 21:31.
Sometimes, we don’t have to go looking for trouble; trouble just seems to find us. While in Jerusalem, Paul was apprehended by Jewish authorities, who sought to do away with him. Paul wasn’t looking for trouble; it just followed him wherever he went. Here in Jerusalem, while Paul sought to follow the instructions of his elders and do what he thought God desired for him to do, the citizens of Jerusalem sought to kill him. News of the crowd’s uproar came to the attention of the commander of the Roman guard, and he stepped in to deal with the explosive situation. God used this commander and his troops to deliver Paul from the trouble that he faced with the crowd.
When we face troubles of various kinds, God can deliver us from them, if He so desires. Or He can deliver us through the troubles, knowing that in the process, we become more transformed to His image. While God chose not to deliver me from the severe pain I have been experiencing, He is using these troubles to (hopefully!) make me more like Him. I didn’t have to go looking for this trouble to happen, yet God allowed it to happen and is using it to transform my heart to be a bit more like His. Paul didn’t go looking for a fight, yet God used the situation for His purposes, and Paul was a willing servant to do God’s bidding.
Questions to consider: How do you respond when troubles come into your life? How willing are you to go through various troubles in order for God’s purposes to be fulfilled through you?
Prayer: Father, it is my desire to be your servant, willing to go through whatever circumstances or troubles necessary for Your purposes to be fulfilled. Amen.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
Wednesday, December 21, 2011
December 22, 2011 - Luke 1:38
“’I am the Lord’s servant,’ Mary answered, ‘May it be to me as you have said.’ Then the angel left her.” Luke 1:38.
During this Christmas season, I’ve been reflecting some on Mary’s response to God. She faced incredible adversity, considering her situation. Being a young, single teenage girl, Mary understood the severity of becoming pregnant outside of being married. She was betrothed to Joseph, which meant that they were in the year of waiting, leading up to the week of wedding celebration. Her relationship with Joseph was jeopardized, and she was confronted with this dilemma – be ostracized, and possibly killed by stoning, by the citizens of the town, or obey God. In a flash, Mary humbled herself, saying that she would submit to and obey what was said to her by Gabriel.
I must confess that I have had a difficult time embracing a similar attitude as Mary seemed to display. She exhibited true submission of her own will and understanding to the will of God and true humility in releasing her will into His hands. “May it be to me as you have said.” Mary stated. Amazing! I wonder how difficult it was for her to do this. As you take time in this season packed with wonder, please reflect on the courage it took for this poor, single, teenage girl to submit to God’s will nine months prior to the Son’s birth. It would be easy for me to say the same words as Mary as I gaze through my stained-glass, religious glasses, yet she spoke these words in the heat of the moment.
Questions to consider: In the moment, how difficult would it be for you to respond as Mary responded? When you’ve faced adversity, what was your first response? Did you sense God’s leading within the tough times? How did you obey His leading?
Prayer: Father, I desire to be one who says the same words as Mary, yet I know that I come up so short. Please help me to find the grace and humility to submit my will to Yours as You gently speak to me and guide me. Amen.
I hope that each of you, with your family, have a wonderful – a season full of wonder – Christmas!
During this Christmas season, I’ve been reflecting some on Mary’s response to God. She faced incredible adversity, considering her situation. Being a young, single teenage girl, Mary understood the severity of becoming pregnant outside of being married. She was betrothed to Joseph, which meant that they were in the year of waiting, leading up to the week of wedding celebration. Her relationship with Joseph was jeopardized, and she was confronted with this dilemma – be ostracized, and possibly killed by stoning, by the citizens of the town, or obey God. In a flash, Mary humbled herself, saying that she would submit to and obey what was said to her by Gabriel.
I must confess that I have had a difficult time embracing a similar attitude as Mary seemed to display. She exhibited true submission of her own will and understanding to the will of God and true humility in releasing her will into His hands. “May it be to me as you have said.” Mary stated. Amazing! I wonder how difficult it was for her to do this. As you take time in this season packed with wonder, please reflect on the courage it took for this poor, single, teenage girl to submit to God’s will nine months prior to the Son’s birth. It would be easy for me to say the same words as Mary as I gaze through my stained-glass, religious glasses, yet she spoke these words in the heat of the moment.
Questions to consider: In the moment, how difficult would it be for you to respond as Mary responded? When you’ve faced adversity, what was your first response? Did you sense God’s leading within the tough times? How did you obey His leading?
Prayer: Father, I desire to be one who says the same words as Mary, yet I know that I come up so short. Please help me to find the grace and humility to submit my will to Yours as You gently speak to me and guide me. Amen.
I hope that each of you, with your family, have a wonderful – a season full of wonder – Christmas!
Wednesday, December 14, 2011
December 15, 2011 - Acts 21:30
“The whole city was aroused, and the people came running from all directions. Seizing Paul, they dragged him from the temple and immediately the gates were shut.” Acts 21:30
On the last day of the purification rite, Paul was recognized by some of the Jews that had misrepresented him to the Jewish leadership. Word spread quickly around Jerusalem that Paul, the ex-Pharisee-turned-follower-of-Jesus, was in the city and was to be captured and taken before their leaders. Paul’s reputation had been well known, as he was an up-and-coming Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee. It was also well known that Paul had turned away from being a Pharisee in order to follow Jesus, the itinerant preacher that had been crucified in the city. Now, Paul was here in Jerusalem, and many of the people rushed to see this man with such a reputation.
It is interesting the reputations that we have. Each of us is thought of in many different ways by different crowds. For instance, in some crowds, I am considered rather handsome, and in others, not so much! For some of us these reputations may be positive or negative. Sometimes, we have both. We also attribute people with reputations. We have our opinions of some people, regardless of how well we actually know them. Just driving home today, I spoke badly about someone’s reputation as a driver, since he wouldn’t move out of the fast lane! As absurd as this may be, most of us do this sort of thing. Paul, too, was confronted with a bad reputation and faced the Jewish authorities in order to defend it. Sometimes, though, our reputations are indefensible.
Questions to consider: What kind of reputation do you have? What would you like for it to be? Do others around you have reputations? How does someone’s reputation affect the way that you treat them?
Prayer: Father, help me to be the kind of person who does not confine someone to their past reputation but is willing to extend grace, just as You extended grace to me. Amen.
On the last day of the purification rite, Paul was recognized by some of the Jews that had misrepresented him to the Jewish leadership. Word spread quickly around Jerusalem that Paul, the ex-Pharisee-turned-follower-of-Jesus, was in the city and was to be captured and taken before their leaders. Paul’s reputation had been well known, as he was an up-and-coming Pharisee and the son of a Pharisee. It was also well known that Paul had turned away from being a Pharisee in order to follow Jesus, the itinerant preacher that had been crucified in the city. Now, Paul was here in Jerusalem, and many of the people rushed to see this man with such a reputation.
It is interesting the reputations that we have. Each of us is thought of in many different ways by different crowds. For instance, in some crowds, I am considered rather handsome, and in others, not so much! For some of us these reputations may be positive or negative. Sometimes, we have both. We also attribute people with reputations. We have our opinions of some people, regardless of how well we actually know them. Just driving home today, I spoke badly about someone’s reputation as a driver, since he wouldn’t move out of the fast lane! As absurd as this may be, most of us do this sort of thing. Paul, too, was confronted with a bad reputation and faced the Jewish authorities in order to defend it. Sometimes, though, our reputations are indefensible.
Questions to consider: What kind of reputation do you have? What would you like for it to be? Do others around you have reputations? How does someone’s reputation affect the way that you treat them?
Prayer: Father, help me to be the kind of person who does not confine someone to their past reputation but is willing to extend grace, just as You extended grace to me. Amen.
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
December 8, 2011 - Acts 21:26
“The next day Paul took the men and purified himself along with them. Then he went to the temple to give notice of the date when the days of purification would end and the offering would be made for each of them.” Acts 21:26.
To prove that he lived in obedience to the Law of the Jews, Paul joined himself to four men who were to go through a Jewish purification rite in accordance to a vow they had made. Paul not only joined these four men in the rite, but he also paid for all of their expenses. It was the church leaderships’ thought that the serious charges brought against Paul would be dismissed as untrue as a result of Paul’s obedience. Paul went to the temple with the four men and began to fulfill the purification rite, including supplying the offering to be made for all of them. Instead of fighting with the leadership, Paul submitted to their request and sought to bring reconciliation within a volatile situation.
I’ve imagined at times that Paul was a rugged, independent person, who struggled summiting to leadership. This passage clearly demonstrates that Paul was anything but independent. He appears to have humbly submitted himself to the church leadership, as well as having submitted himself to the purification rite. Paul could have stood on his principles and fought for what he believed was right, yet he chose submission. As an American, this is a difficult concept for me to live by. After all, I, like many of you, was brought up to be an independent individualist. It’s all about me, and I am the one who has to make it happen in life or it just won’t happen. Paul demonstrates a living example of honoring the leaders of the church, from which I have much to learn.
Questions to consider: Can you think of a time when you submitted to an authority that you didn’t agree with? What was that like for you? How do you feel about submission, as a principle in your life? Where does submission work in your life? And where doesn’t it?
Prayer: Father, thank You for Paul’s example of submission to his leadership authorities. Help me to learn from his example. Amen.
To prove that he lived in obedience to the Law of the Jews, Paul joined himself to four men who were to go through a Jewish purification rite in accordance to a vow they had made. Paul not only joined these four men in the rite, but he also paid for all of their expenses. It was the church leaderships’ thought that the serious charges brought against Paul would be dismissed as untrue as a result of Paul’s obedience. Paul went to the temple with the four men and began to fulfill the purification rite, including supplying the offering to be made for all of them. Instead of fighting with the leadership, Paul submitted to their request and sought to bring reconciliation within a volatile situation.
I’ve imagined at times that Paul was a rugged, independent person, who struggled summiting to leadership. This passage clearly demonstrates that Paul was anything but independent. He appears to have humbly submitted himself to the church leadership, as well as having submitted himself to the purification rite. Paul could have stood on his principles and fought for what he believed was right, yet he chose submission. As an American, this is a difficult concept for me to live by. After all, I, like many of you, was brought up to be an independent individualist. It’s all about me, and I am the one who has to make it happen in life or it just won’t happen. Paul demonstrates a living example of honoring the leaders of the church, from which I have much to learn.
Questions to consider: Can you think of a time when you submitted to an authority that you didn’t agree with? What was that like for you? How do you feel about submission, as a principle in your life? Where does submission work in your life? And where doesn’t it?
Prayer: Father, thank You for Paul’s example of submission to his leadership authorities. Help me to learn from his example. Amen.
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