Signs We Desire

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 7:51—8:1A ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~

~~~ John 6:30-35 ~~~

The crowd said to Jesus:

“What sign can you do, that we 

may see and believe in you?

We may not want to admit it, but

most of the time we are asking the very same question.

We too want God too reveal himself in a way that we expect.

We too come with our preconceived ideas of who God is.

We too want signs...we too want to feel His presence.

We too want to see his works in our life...

in the lives of our loved ones.

We too are confused by the signs we are given.

We too overlook the manna from heaven.

We too take the goodness of God for granted.

 “Behold, I see the heavens opened

and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.”

Stephen was given a visible sign

 as he was being stoned to death.

His death was overseen by none other

 than Saul, who would be called Paul.

Stephen was martyred

 in spite of his passion for the Lord. 

Stephen might have wanted to have been

 spared from death by stoning,

but God withheld his sign

 until his death was immanent.

“Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.”

within the pain of being pummeled with rocks,

Stephen calls on Jesus to receive him in heaven.

He goes on to forgive his executioners

even as they hurl more rocks at his body.

Stephen knew that his physical body

 was not the body God would take.

He knew that the very essence of who he was...

 his spirit...his soul...that is what would 

live on in heaven with Jesus.

 “I am the bread of life;

whoever comes to me will never hunger,

and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

I pray that when my final days come

I too may be able to release all anxieties and

say into your hands I commend my spirit.

Blessings as we desire to imitate Stephen

in our final hours.

~~~Peace~~~

Fearless Words

~~~ Acts of the Apostles 7:51-8:1A ~~~ Psalm 31 ~~~ John 6:30-35 ~~~

But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit,

looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God.

Stephen is preaching to the people
about how corrupt and hopeless they are
and have been for some time now.

He does not try to sugar coat his remarks.
It seems he is trying to insult and belittle them...
using phrases like...
stiff-necked, uncircumcised of heart and ears,
 literal rebels against the Holy Spirit.

Going on to negatively compare them to all of their ancestors...
good for nothing betrayers and murders.
Stinging words aimed right at their hearts.
They had not even taken the words of angels seriously.
Could it be any worse?

It is not surprising, after this little rant,
 that the people thought it best to silence him once and for all.
Stoning seemed to be the order of the day.
If you do not like what someone is saying about you
then just get rid of them for good.
That is kill them...problem solved.

Stephen took a chance.
Some might even say his words and actions were reckless.
His strong conviction in Jesus took over his mind, body, and soul.
Isn't that what we are also called to?
Are we not also asked to love God with our whole being?

When is it too risky to love?
How far would you be willing to take your love for God?

Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.”

Stephen made reference to the ancestors...
Moses was given manna from heaven, still the people grumbled.
Jesus gives us himself as the 'bread of life'
and still there are those today who would grumble.

Stephen believed until it cost him his life.
We may not be called to give up our life for Jesus today,
but we are called to love just as intently as Stephen.

...the heavens opened

and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.

Stephen saw Jesus waiting for him;
that was enough to keep him strong.

Jesus Blesses us with the same vision if we believe.
When the time comes may we have the strength of Stephen.
~~~ Peace ~~~