NOTE: I am playing around with a different approach to my daily blog and would love for your input concerning this approach. Thanks for visiting and taking the time to read what this old preacher might be thinking. Please email with your comments at jmartin450@tampabay.rr.com.
Noise surrounds us. It has a tendency to drown out the still small voice of God. The noise adds only confusion to our journey. Each of the noisemakers demands our attention and robs us of the opportunities to be in God’s presence. Finding time and a place wherein we can be quiet and experience the stillness of heart is the 21st Century challenge for anyone who is serious of developing a stronger relationship with God, as well as a clear understanding of the direction God desires for us to take in our spiritual journey.
Scripture: Acts 4:23-37
Two stories make up this passage. First is the one about Peter and John’s release and how their people came together to pray and so powerful was their unity in prayer that the place in which they were meeting was shaken, filling them with holy boldness. The second story supports the unity – being of one mind and one heart - concept in that no one considered their possessions as theirs, but something to be shared with others.
Reflection: Wouldn’t it be great if God’s people had this sense of unity instead of trying to out do the neighbors or trying to impress their neighbors with their “stuff”. I saw “The Devil’s Advocate” last evening staring Keanu Reeves and Al Pacino. Pacino was the embodiment of the Devil. It was the last line in the movie that sticks with you, “Vanity, definitely my favorite sin.” Vanity creeps into our lives and trips us all up at one point or another. Vanity keeps us from being bolder with our faith. Vanity keeps our priorities out of balance with God’s purpose for our life. Vanity keeps us from being united in prayer, separated into our little cells, divided over direction. The people of Peter and John’s circle were focused resulting in their strong unity so much so that when they prayed the earth shook. Satan is frightened when vanity is placed aside and God’s people pray.
Prayer: Eternal Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer help me to place aside my ego, my desires, my wishes, my reputation, my opinions, my arrogance, my pride, my self-centeredness and focus on your will for my life and ministry. Amen.
Further reflection from Earth and Altar by Eugene H. Peterson
“We do not begin life on our own. We do not finish it on our own. Life, especially when we experience by faith the complex interplay of creation and salvation, is not fashioned out of our own genetic lumber and cultural warehouses. It is not hammered together with the planks and nails of our thoughts and dreams, our feelings and fancies. We are not self-sufficient. We enter a world that is created by God, that already has a rich history and is crowded with committed participants – a world of animals and mountains, of politics and religion; a world where people build houses and raise children, where volcanos erupt lava and river flow to the sea; a world in which, however carefully we observe and watch and study it, surprising things keep on taking place (like rocks turning into pools of water). We keep on being surprised because we are in on something beyond our management, something over our heads.”
The Struggle: Soon, once again, I will be stepping before a congregation to serve them as their pastor. My heart and head are divided. It means leaving the leisure of retirement and picking up the disciplines of study and preparation. It means that my agenda and time will belong to others. It will mean some sleepless nights. The threat of allowing my vanity to get in the way will be just over the horizon and just around the next corner. It means stepping back into the arena of noise of a congregation where everyone’s voice wants to be heard and everyone’s desires wants to be met and everyone’s direction for the church wants to be fulfilled. My struggle is to keep the focus on God and be his instrument to bring about the unity that Peter and John experienced among their people.
I Want a Principle Within by Charles Wesley:
I want a principle within of watchful, godly fear,
a sensibility of sin, a pain to feel it near.
I want the first approach to feel of pride or wrong desire,
to catch the wandering of my will, and quench the kindling fire.
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