Acts 5:13-16
Meanwhile,
the apostles were meeting regularly at the Temple in the area known as
Solomon’s Hall, and they did many remarkable miracles among the people.
The other believers didn’t dare join them, though, but all had the
highest regard for them. And more and more believers were added to the
Lord, crowds both of men and women. Sick people were brought out into
the streets on beds and mats so that at least Peter’s shadow would fall
across some of them as he went by! And crowds came in from the Jerusalem
suburbs, bringing their sick folk and those possessed by demons; and
every one of them was healed.
The
Living Bible copyright © 1971 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by
permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois
60188. All rights reserved.
This morning, I met my niece and her husband and children
at our local library for an end-of-summer program for the children.
This was the third year that the summer reading program has culminated
with a performance by a magician named “Tommy Terrific.” Our children
LOVE Tommy Terrific, and they were all three excited about seeing him
again today.
When we went into the room, “Tommy” was sitting on
the back row. Zola readily took a front-row seat on the floor to be
ready for his performance. Timothy and Nathan sat with the adults - in
the seats next to “Tommy!” He spoke to all of us, and we said “Hello” to
him. When the show began, Timothy moved to the floor for a better
view, but Nathan held back on his mother’s lap. He wanted to
participate and see everything clearly, but he was reluctant to step
through the other children to sit beside his brother and sister.
I
thought of Nathan when I read this scripture passage…particularly the
verse that says, “The other believers didn’t dare join them, though, but
all had the highest regard for them.” We read in this passage about
amazing miracles and wonders being performed in Jesus’ name by the
Apostles. We read that people were so faithful that they believed that
even the passing of Peter’s shadow could heal them! We read that other
believers wanted to see what was going on and be a part of these amazing
events. But something kept them from fully participating.
I
believe that something keeps a lot of us from fully participating in the
missions and ministries to which God has called us. We want to be
fully engaged…but something keeps us from truly stepping up – and out –
for His purposes. We hang back on the fringes…observe from afar…whisper a
quiet word or two of support. But in the end, we miss the full
blessing of serving God completely and unabashedly.
We don’t have
to turn into zealots or “Jesus freaks”…but most of us do need to
develop a bolder approach in our demonstrations of Christian faith. We
need to listen to that “still, small voice” that whispers for us to
reach out to someone…to pick up the phone, write a note, or offer a
smile and a hug. We need to be more attuned to that nudge from God to
step up and offer a hand to someone who is fumbling with a particular
item or issue…to volunteer our services in some capacity that might not
feel totally comfortable to us - but still seems like the right thing
to do.
We need to accept God’s challenge to speak kindness to
another…to offer to pray with someone who needs encouragement or healing
(and not just for them in the privacy of our own space)…to kindly,
courageously, and respectfully speak out against injustices and
encourage Godly words and actions from others. We need to demonstrate a
faith so strong that we believe that God could use even our shadow
passing over another to heal him/her - were He to so desire.
There
isn’t any time to waste. The day of sitting on the sidelines needs to
end. It’s time to get in the game and fully participate as a Disciple
of Christ. This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be
glad in it.* The time has come for us to all get busy and go the extra
mile on His behalf. Are you ready to begin?
©2016 Debbie Robus
*Psalm 118:24
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