Acts - Week 7 / Monday

Reading for today: Acts 13:1-12

This passage is a pivotal point in the spread of the gospel. Up to this point, the gospel has been spread from Jerusalem as a result of the persecution that was taking place against the followers of Christ and causing them to scatter away from Jerusalem. But in these verses we encounter the first of those who gave themselves specifically to the work of going to new places for the express purpose of sharing the "good news" and organizing new churches. In fact, these verses describe for us the beginning of the first missionary journey.

Barnabas and Saul (Paul) are selected by the Holy Spirit to be the first missionaries of this new church. It's interesting to me that the church heard this directive from the Holy Spirit during a time of worshiping, prayer and fasting. That meant that they had to quiet themselves before God so that they were in a place that they could hear and respond to the voice of the Holy Spirit.

I wonder if that is why I don't hear the Holy Spirit's voice more often. Could it be that I am too busy, too preoccupied, too intent on doing my own thing to hear His voice? I know it is possible to get so wrapped up in the busyness of life that the Holy Spirit would have to hit me over the head with a 2X4 in order to get my attention. But the Holy Spirit will so rarely ever would do that in any of our lives. So the key is to carve out some quiet times with God so that we can hear His voice, and receive the direction and guidance that we need.

In your experience, what have you found works for you to carve out those times of worship, devotion and prayer? What trade-offs have you made so that you can experience those important times of communion with the Spirit of God?

Tomorrow: Keeping the message relevant