Day 2
Acts 1:12-14
12 Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a Sabbath day’s journey. 13 And when they had entered, they went up into the upper room where they were staying: Peter, James, John, and Andrew; Philip and Thomas; Bartholomew and Matthew; James the son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot; and Judas the son of James. 14 These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Getting alone with God to pray is so important. Jesus probably more than any other recorded in scripture left us that example. We know that it was His practice to go to the mountain, the garden or some other solitary place to be alone with the Father to pray. It is wonderful for us to find time away from the rough and tumble of everyday life to commune with our Savior. We need that time. However, in this busy life that solitary time is perhaps easier to find that what we see recorded for us here in these short verses because it depends only on us and our schedule. The time that is much harder to coordinate is that which involves others, yet it was this community of prayer that the disciple sought upon their return to Jerusalem. We notice that the disciples/apostles and other core believers gathered together in unified corporate prayer.
There is something special about the time that we have together as believer. At least, there should be. We know that God desires that we as believers gather together, but do we understand why and its importance? These believers had been brought together by a number of common things. Most important among those things was the fact that they were witnesses to the work, death and resurrection of Jesus. All of them were profoundly impacted by Him. They shared that in common. Therefore they also shared a common purpose - the proclamation of Jesus as both risen and Christ or Messiah. Each of them had a common hope - their own resurrection and the coming of the kingdom. And, we could argue that they had common promises - you will receive power and be my witnesses.
As believers we also have much in common with one another. It doesn’t matter that we come from different backgrounds, different levels of society or whatever else might be different. We have a common Savior and hope. And He has called us together to encourage one another, to remind one another of His calling and promises, to strengthen one another, to pray with and for one another and to help each other.
In a culture of “personal” faith we need to realize that not only has God called each of us into a personal relationship with Himself but that He has also called us into a family of faith and fellowship with one another.
Prayer Request Day 2
1) The Slovene Church - there is a deep divide in the Churches of Slovenia - some histories and grudges go back more than 15 years - often causes the existing church to be weak and have a poor witness
2) Tradition and Ideology - strongholds that keep people blinded to the truth of and their need for the gospel (ie. confirmed and baptized in the "church" - I'm okay, Communist Yugoslavia - no belief, Humanistic present - just want to live a nice life so I don't have time)
3) Building relationships - can be very difficult and takes a very long time to get beyond a surface relationship
4) Division - tool of the enemy to divide and conquer - used against believers and unbelievers, missionaries and leaders - makes it difficult to work either together or separately (ie together - no forgiveness; separately - not accepted as a brother or sister in Christ)
5) Maribor - for God to continue to establish ministry through us that will be meaningful, relevant and effective in seeing Bible Studies and eventually a new Churches here
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These verses from Acts make me wonder how mind boggling it must have been for the women and apostles, especially after all they have just witnessed in Christ’s ministry, death and resurrection. I wonder how difficult and perhaps, unnerving for them it was to wait on the Lord in faith… in quiet patience… in a single room… for an uncertain time, despite their fears and uncertainties. I would have been an anxious, impatient wreck! Despite these fears, the faithful were together and there is strength in numbers.
I remember the long months of waiting during our Russian adoption of Sandra and Nathan. I found myself in prayer, multiple times a day and seeking the prayers of our brothers and sisters in Christ to help us through this long process. What gave us comfort was the knowledge that many people back home in the states were praying with us and for us while we waited out in Russia for 3 ½ weeks. This was our first encounter praying with a large body of believers on our behalf. Every time I look in my children’s’ faces, it is a constant reminder of God’s answered prayers and the many people who interceded on our family’s behalf. I must confess, I am not the most patient person and I find waiting on God difficult at times. I am also not proud of the way I have sometimes responded to God when He didn’t reveal the path I should take. It is much easier for God’s well trained soldiers to march and fight than it is to wait. These verses show me it is best to suppress our cowardice to hide as well as our desires to rush forward in pursuit of resolution. As the apostles and the women showed us, it is best to wait on the Lord,…seek His strength in prayer and with each other…and the intervention will come at the right time…---but that is reserved for Acts Chapter 2. On the Journey Together!--Kathy
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