Month: June 2024

Acts 9:40 Peter sent them all out of the room; then he got down on his knees and prayed. Turning toward the dead woman, he said, “Tabitha, get up.” She opened her eyes, and seeing Peter she sat up. 

Commentary on Acts 9 has given me much to ponder today. In regards to the beginning of verse 40, commentary says: “Yet Peter sensed a specific leading…” so he sent the others out of the room. Towards the end of verse 40, when Peter says, “Tabitha, get up,” which is so reminiscent of Jesus’s actions in Mark 5 and Luke 8, that commentary says, “Peter simply tried to do as Jesus did. Jesus was his leader.”

Acts 9:41 He took her by the hand and helped her to her feet. Then he called for the believers, especially the widows, and presented her to them alive. 

Acting on those little “God-nudges” and “simply trying to do as Jesus did”–those are two excellent pieces of advice. Even if those nudges aren’t God-sent, if it leads you closer to God and leads the other person closer to God, God can (and will and does) use it. If in all things we try to “simply do as Jesus did,” our actions will bring us and others closer to Him in the process.

Acts 9:42 This became known all over Joppa, and many people believed in the Lord. 

Precious Savior, Sometimes we try to make life so difficult. Forgive us. Thank You for Peter’s example to listen to Your still small voice, to act in ways we feel You calling us to act, to simply do as You did–love God, love others. Help us to be Your hands and feet and heart in this world. Draw us closer. Amen.

Acts 9:43 Peter stayed in Joppa for some time with a tanner named Simon.

Have a blessed day.

Acts 9:32 As Peter traveled about the country, he went to visit the Lord’s people who lived in Lydda.   

This chapter has me thinking about Saul and about appearance vs reality and what we can see vs what’s happening inside. Saul had a divine experience on the road to Damascus. He was the only one who heard Jesus. He was the only one encased in darkness. It was in his heart that the transformation took place.

Acts 9:33 There he found a man named Aeneas, who was paralyzed and had been bedridden for eight years.

The disciples didn’t trust his transformation. The Pharisees were probably livid about the whole thing. Many of the followers of The Way were leery when it came to Saul, yet Saul trusted, and Saul walked forward in his new relationship with Christ, trying to do what God was calling him to do.

Acts 9:34 “Aeneas,” Peter said to him, “Jesus Christ heals you. Get up and roll up your mat.” Immediately Aeneas got up.

Precious Savior, You come to us in the quiet of our hearts. You whisper Your truth to us in the quiet moments. Your impact on our lives is not necessarily something the world can see or understand, and I think that is by design. Help us to trust Your still small voice speaking to our hearts. Help us to draw closer to You with each breath, each day. Help us to choose You and not this world. Amen.

Acts 9:35 All those who lived in Lydda and Sharon saw him and turned to the Lord. 

Have a blessed day.

Acts 9:26 When he came to Jerusalem, he tried to join the disciples, but they were all afraid of him, not believing that he really was a disciple. 

Today’s scripture has me thinking about disciples and apostles. I had to do a Google search, but by I now know that a disciple is a student, a learner, where as an apostle is “a messenger, one who is sent to teach,” primarily “those who met and followed Jesus during His life” and are “called by Him to spread the gospel.”

Acts 9:27a But Barnabas took him and brought him to the apostles. 

And while Saul now technically seems to fall into both categories–disciple and apostle, the disciples don’t trust him, and I can’t really blame them. They are probably afraid for their lives. But Barnabas sees him, sees his experience, sees his potential, sees that he has been called by God, and Barnabas helps him.

Acts 9:27b He told them how Saul on his journey had seen the Lord and that the Lord had spoken to him, and how in Damascus he had preached fearlessly in the name of Jesus.

Lord, Give me the strength and courage to be a Barnabas in a world full of disciples scared of Saul. Give me the strength and courage to act as Your hands and feet when the world sees a person as they used to be. Help me to shine Your light, to praise Your name. Always. Amen.

Acts 9: 28 So Saul stayed with them and moved about freely in Jerusalem, speaking boldly in the name of the Lord. 

Have a blessed day.

Acts 9:23 After many days had gone by, there was a conspiracy among the Jews to kill him… 

The Jews are conspiring to murder Saul because of his devotion to the Way. Now, where have we heard that before? Was the irony of this situation lost on Saul? And now that I think about it, why did the Jews want to kill him?

Acts 9:24a …but Saul learned of their plan. 

Was it because of his devotion to the Way? Was it because he killed so many followers of the Way and now he’s preaching to them? Was it because they just didn’t like him on principle because of his former ways, regardless of his current beliefs?

Acts 9:24b …Day and night they kept close watch on the city gates in order to kill him. 

Precious Savior, Thank You for the curiosity that Your word inspires. Help me to seek You, to see You, always. Help me to trust where You lead me. Amen.

Acts 9:25 But his followers took him by night and lowered him in a basket through an opening in the wall.

Have a blessed day.

Acts 9:19b Saul spent several days with the disciples in Damascus. 

Again I have so many questions. What did Saul *think* about this profound change? How did he *feel* about his previous behavior and his new life? Was the old so completely gone that he couldn’t marvel at the fact that his old self, the epitome of a Pharisee, who had gleefully hunted and killed Christians, no longer existed?

Acts 9:20 At once he began to preach in the synagogues that Jesus is the Son of God. 

Did he feel any guilt at all about his prior behavior? I think I would have been eaten up with guilt, as pointless as that would be. If the scales were gone from his eyes to the point that he truly understands Jesus, wouldn’t he have been so paralyzed with guilt for his previous actions that he would have been unable to move forward? How sad would that have been?

Acts 9:21 All those who heard him were astonished and asked, “Isn’t he the man who raised havoc in Jerusalem among those who call on this name? And hasn’t he come here to take them as prisoners to the chief priests?” 

Precious Savior, You know that I struggle with doubt, guilt, anger, and bitterness. Any one of those traits could have stopped Saul dead in his tracks, which would have been a huge loss since he was such a shining apostle for You. Help me not to beat myself up, help me not to waste precious resources being bitter or angry or feeling doubt or guilt. None of that will shine Your light. Help me to leave them all at Your feet. Amen.

Acts 9:22 Yet Saul grew more and more powerful and baffled the Jews living in Damascus by proving that Jesus is the Messiah.

Have a blessed day.

Acts 9:13 “Lord,” Ananias answered, “I have heard many reports about this man and all the harm he has done to your holy people in Jerusalem. 

Ananias’s comments here seem very bold to me. He basically asks God if He’s sure that Saul is the right one to use here. After all, Ananias has heard about Saul’s behavior, too. He’s a Pharisee of Pharisees. He has enthusiastically murdered people of the Way. I can practically feel Ananias’s incredulity: Seriously, God? This guy?

 Acts 9:14 And he has come here with authority from the chief priests to arrest all who call on your name.”

It makes me think of all the people we write off because they sin differently than we do. “God can’t possibly value this life because they… (fill-in-the-blank with a sin we would never even consider). Yet God chose as His instrument a murderous Pharisee on his way to persecute Christians. With love, God changed his heart, changed his name, changed his entire life.

Acts 9:15 But the Lord said to Ananias, “Go! This man is my chosen instrument to proclaim my name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel. 

Precious Savior, Forgive me when I write someone off because of something I deem unacceptable to You. In the words of the billboard I saw so very long ago, help me to “Just love everyone” and let You “sort them out later,” so that I don’t risk excluding the very instrument You are seeking. Help me. Amen.

Acts 9:16 I will show him how much he must suffer for my name.” 

Have a blessed day.