 In the New Testament
book of Acts, the writer reports that Jesus' followers saw him risen from
the dead. Among the many things he did and said, Jesus called upon his
disciples to take center stage, and to proclaim his message.
He revealed to them in Acts 1:8: "But you will receive power when
the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in
Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth."
For many of us, the immediate reaction to such a tall order would be to
get busy, and fast. But where do we find the disciples after these
instructions? Huddled together, in an upper room in Jerusalem,
"constantly devoting themselves to prayer"(Acts 1: 14). That's
right, their first step was to take time, in prayer and meditation, to await
the power of the Spirit of God to guide their actions. Once they received
that gift, then the whirlwind of activity could begin.
No matter our faith tradition, we would do well to model our action plans
after those early disciples. We may have a sense regarding our gifts and
talents, or even feel we have an idea of what God's will is for our lives.
But, we, too, are wise "not to leave Jerusalem" until we feel
assured that our loving Creator is guiding our thoughts, motives, and
actions. Only then can we feel confident that we are being faithful
followers and empowered by the Spirit of the living God.
Martin Luther once said, "I have so much to do that I must spend the
first three hours of each day in prayer." Take time out first to
discern God's presence and power in your life; and then venture forth!
Kathryn Carroll is Ministry Assistant at Christ the King Lutheran Church,
located at 11295 Red Road across from Parrot Jungle. Sunday worship services
are at 8:30 am (contemporary), 9:30 am and 11:00 am (traditional); Sunday
School for all ages, 9:30 am. For more information, call the church office
at 305-665-5063.
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