Power Play

So tonight we were reading the Bible with the kids and our reading was in Acts chapter 4.  In this passage of the Bible, Peter and John who were followers of Jesus were in Jeruselem doing some pretty cool things and telling people about Jesus and what he had done for them when they were pretty much accosted by some of the religious leaders of the day. They were taken into custody and put into Jail overnight until they could decide what to do with them. So the next day all of these religious leades gathered to dicuss what would be an appropriatte punishment for Peter and John's behavior.(You should read it if you never have, it is a pretty cool story.)

In the early part of the story they give Peter and John time to explain their side of the story and after talking amongst themselves, decide to let Peter and John go. But, before they did, they told them they better not go around speaking and teaching in the name of Jesus anymore. Peter and John of course let them know right away they felt it was better to obey what God told them to do then what these leaders were recommending. The leaders threatened a bit more and then allowed Peter and John to leave.

Now here is what gets me, instead of walking away and lying low for a while, here is what they did:

²³ As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. ²⁴ When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: “O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them— ²⁵ you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,

‘Why were the nations so angry? Why did they waste their time with futile plans? ²⁶ The kings of the earth prepared for battle; the rulers gathered together against the LorD and against his Messiah.’^[e]

²⁷ “In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. ²⁸ But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will. ²⁹ And now, O Lord, hear their threats, and give us, your servants, great boldness in preaching your word. ³⁰ Stretch out your hand with healing power; may miraculous signs and wonders be done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.”

They went back and prayed for more boldness, more power!  Now I don't know about you but I know a lot of times for me when I am feeling threatened, this is not something that I normally do, but I want to. Normally, I want to retreat, hide, maybe even complain a little about how bad this sucks that we have to put up with these people. But really what I want is to have that kind of faith. I want to pray for that kind of boldness! I want to live in that confidence all the time.

As we continue reaching out to those who are hurting, to those who need healing, please pray that God gives us boldness in sharing His Love and teaching His Word and that healing will come and that many will know God's great amazing love for them.