Nougat 16

Perhaps you’ve wondered what the people prayed after Peter and John were released from jail. Thankfully, Luke seemed to find first-hand witnesses. We reflect on a part of the prayer in Today’s Holy Nougat

Acts 4:24-25 CEVDCI

[24] When the rest of the Lord’s followers heard this, they prayed together and said: Master, you created heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them.

[25] And by the Holy Spirit, you spoke to our ancestor David. He was your servant, and you told him to say: “Why are all the Gentiles so furious? Why do people make foolish plans?

Looking to Jesus

The gathered community began with an acknowledgement of God’s Godness. Their acknowledgement spoke of God’s sovereignty, affirming YHWH as Creator. Although this may seem normal to us, Rome was a secular state, and some citizens worshipped Caesar. They were being very clear about whom they prayed to.

Self-Check

How about us, do we take the time to acknowledge God’s Godness when we pray?

Application

Not only did the disciples begin with a declaration of faith, but they also based it on Scripture. They quoted David, who authored most of the psalms. Then, as now, psalms were included in worship. The psalms was their ‘Book of Common Prayer’, which comprised a major part of their religious life and was included in their Holy Scriptures. In a similar manner, we see the accounts of the post Pentecost believers’ lives as an important aspect of our faith, which is included in our Holy Scripture.

From their example we learn that using Scripture as the base for our own prayers makes praying easier. We can a) memorise the words to strengthen our faith and b) use the Scripture as a guide on what to say. We read of the saints acknowledging God’s sovereignty, which tells us that there’s no God like YHWH. It also teaches us that we can also start our prayers like that.

We remind ourselves that the God Who creates everything has power over all creation. Therefore, we can trust God with everything. It is also a reminder that we are not God,and we are not in control. This confession challenges how we make decisions as we cannot truly on our abilities since we neither have power nor control over creation. When God is sovereign, God’s opinion is critical to our plans.

In declaring God’s sovereignty and naming God as Creator, the disciples imply that we will not get easily angry or make foolish plans. If we see logic in their argument and reflect on their quote in light of the apostles’ release from prison, we also realise that they are suggesting that the foolish plans they refer to are those of Annas and Caiaphas. In our own spaces, we may see others making plans, getting angry at circumstances outside their control, and failing to acknowledge God’s sovereignty. If we’re among those persons, it’s time to think differently. Let’s keep God central in all we do.

May our life’s actions confirm our belief.

Point to Ponder

How can we live our faith so others can see that God is sovereign?

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May all we seek be found in Christ