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Share with Others What God Has Shared with You!
From Acts 1: 6-14: So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?" He replied, "It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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." When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, "Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven." Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day's journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
The black and white images of that man wearing that thing that lifted him up and over things has forever stayed in my mind. It had to have been the early 60s when I saw that first flight of a jet pack and wondered when I could get one of my own. I love the cartoon for today for it has my sentiments in it. But did you know that jet pack, and the ones after it, can only fly for about 90 seconds? That makes me think of the average time most Christians spend in prayer or in doing good for others; and I might be stretching that a bit.
This passage reinforces the reality of where the disciples were when the risen Christ came to them. Their question was about restoration of the political kingdom to Israel, when Jesus' whole ministry and even His days in Jerusalem leading to His death had been about the spiritual kingdom. Jesus was about sharing with people the love of God; and in this passage He says they would receive power to be witnesses of His work from their place to the whole world. And after He said this, He was lifted up and taken into the clouds out of their sight. They were then asked by two angels what they were doing just staring into the sky. They returned back to the city and hid again in the Upper Room.
You and I have to share what God has shared with us, with others. We are the witnesses to the power that God has to change lives, to make new, to bring about peace and justice in this world. And, as we know the "rest of the story," that power came in the appearance of the Holy Spirit to be with us and lead us to faithfulness and fruitfulness. So what are we doing about it? There is no better evidence shared than that seen and experienced by an eye witness. We are those eyewitnesses!
PRAYER: So many people have yet to hear or receive what God has done and shared with us. We have a story, a credible story, Loving God, that we need to share on Your behalf. Remind us and equip us to be your witnesses. This we pray in Christ Jesus' precious and powerful name, amen.
Have a great and blessed day in the Lord!
Eradio Valverde
