Check out all the previous Acts readings here.
Acts Reading Plan | Week 1 | Day 3
Prayer
We are told in the gospels that Jesus often withdrew to lonely places to pray. As you take time away from the busyness of life, ask Jesus to calm your mind and heart and to speak to you today.
Bible Reading: Acts 1:12-14
Read these verses three times slowly.
Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walk from the city. When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.
Reflection & Questions
Can you imagine what it was like walking through the city streets after seeing Jesus ascend up to heaven? Imagine walking through the market, where everyone is as busy as ever buying and selling. You see the same beggar on that corner like you have for months. You wave at the little boy playing with his ball just like he does everyday at this time. For them, today is the same as yesterday as the day before. But for you… everything has changed. Jesus is alive! You’re ready to explode. You want everyone to know everything has changed!
But that’s not what Jesus’ followers did. (By the way, Luke names them all, so that his friend Theophilus could go find them and talk to them face to face if he wanted). Instead of shouting from the street corners, they quietly passed by the hustle and bustle, and went into the upstairs room of a house and prayed. We might be tempted to think that they were at best wasting time, and at worst, cowardly. But that’s not what was going on at all. They were following their master. They were waiting for the Spirit. They were waiting for power. They knew that on their own this would fail.
How often do we rush into things without prayer?! To connect with Jesus and the Spirit through prayer is connecting with our source, our guide, our shepherd, and our empowerer. Without Him we will fail. With Him, we might just end up reaching the world!
- Do you rush into your day, or into a new mission without prayer?
- Is slowing down to spend time with Jesus hard for you? Why? How could you make that a priority this week?
Prayer
Take time to pray through everything that’s coming your way in the next 24 hours. Pray for people you will meet, for decisions you will make, for struggles or temptations you know you will face. Ask God to help you, to guide you, to empower you.
Worship Song
You might use this song today to worship Jesus today:
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Questions?
Ed Applegate
