05/27/2008 This Life

[RandomK]

S. 17 Then the high priest rose up, and all those who were with him
(which is the sect of the Sadducees), and they were filled with
indignation, 18 and laid their hands on the apostles and put them in
the common prison. 19 But at night an angel of the Lord opened the
prison doors and brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the
temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.”
21 And when they heard that, they entered the temple early in the
morning and taught. But the high priest and those with him came and
called the council together, with all the elders of the children of
Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.

O. V.20, "Go, stand in the temple, and speak to the people all the
words of this life". The message must be preached. Does the meaning
behind "This life" mean they were to speak about their lives, or were
they supposed to speak about THIS life, "THIS" being the Life that
Jesus gives to those who believe in Him?
Regardless, it is obvious that man cannot stop the preaching of the
Gospel. Though man may try, God intervenes, sometimes more blatantly
than others. Interestingly, God sent the apostles BACK to the temple,
to the people who should already know salvation, to the Jews. Why
didn't God send the apostles to another place, knowing the High
Priests had become indignant? Why not to the Gentiles? Apparently, God
loves his people so much, that he would make EVERY attempt to reach
the kingdom of Israel, the children of Promise. The apostles did not
fear man, because they realized that "THIS life", was not something
that man could take from them, no matter how hard man tried.

A. God has never sent an angel to tell me what to do. Not that I
haven't asked. But in reality, do I really need one? Isn't it
painfully CLEAR what it is that God wants me to do? Why is it so hard
then? How have I become so complacent, that I would rather stay silent
then face a night in jail? Would God free me? And even if he didn't,
would I have the courage to be ok with that?

P. Lord, once again I am ashamed at my lack of boldness. I want to be
fearless, but I am too hung up on the feeble mortal self, and not
living in the spirit. Your life is the life that never ceases, and
yet, I have a difficult time speaking about it. God, please free me
from the "spiritual" jail that I have put MYSELF into, so that I may
be able to teach about This Life, the life that sets me free.