Keeping In Step With The Spirit

What an awesome summer so far!  Last week I had the privilege of attending camp with 50 3^rd-5^th graders and 10 awesome leaders.  Our focus was on “Keeping in Step with the Spirit.”  I couldn’t help but think back to that focus as I read our scripture today, Acts 6:8-15.  Stephen was a man who kept in step with the spirit.  He was a man of exceptional faith, willing to trust Christ and follow him without question.  In fact, in Acts 6:5 we see that he stood out as “a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit.”  His actions were selfless, serving those in need, being the love of Jesus.  He was willing to let the Holy Spirit take over his life and be a vessel for God, regardless of what it might bring.  Stephen chose to share the message of Christ, that Jesus was the Messiah they had been waiting for, and salvation is found in Christ alone.  When we accept Jesus as our Savior, we are given the Holy Spirit to be our counselor, our advocate, our friend, to teach us and guide us.  We become the temple, with God dwelling in us.   

WOW!  God living in us!! Stop a minute and truly digest that . . .

So often I hear, “I wish I lived when Jesus lived so I could see his miracles, I wish I could see God, like Daniel did in the lion’s den or in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego.”  We forget that as a Christ-Follower, we have GOD LIVING IN US and as with any relationship, when you spend time listening to, learning from, and discovering God, that connection only grows.  His characteristics become visible in our actions and words.   Others see glimpses of God’s greatness, when we allow Him to lead our life.   Stephen gave way for the Holy Spirit to speak freely through him, sharing these truths with a culture that refused to listen.  The church leaders persuaded others to say lies and false testimonies about him, allowing them to take him to the Sanhedrin (sounds very similar to another story…Jesus!).  But even in all of that chaos, “his face was like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15).  Even in adversity he trusted Christ and stood firm. In fact, if you continue to read on you will see that his connection with God grew as the conflict worsened.   Giving our life over to God does not guarantee an easy path.  When we let the gospel penetrate our lives, we, like Stephen, will find ourselves going against the culture, standing out, facing ridicule and challenges.  But it is my prayer in those situations we keep in step with the spirit and pray for Him to speak through us, so we too can be a vessel for God’s great work. 

I came across this prayer and thought it was a perfect way to end a blog about Stephen, a man who gave his life to share the gospel:

Every morning, let us give our hearts to the Holy Spirit. And as our day unfolds, let us be sure to listen for the Spirit’s promptings, for His words of love, guidance, and correction. As we do, we will see our lives change. We will become more patient, speak more gently, put aside rash judgments, and even come to love those who insult and misunderstand us – all because we have listened to the Holy Spirit.

- Julie Eastman, Family Minister