PASTORS NOTES
These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication…..”
When reading this week’s text, begin by re-reading verses 9-11. After reading 12-14, how would you describe the mood of the room? Scripture doesn’t tell us what was going through the minds of the group, but what would your guess be? Personally, I believe the men and women were experiencing every type of emotion one could imagine: excitement, fear, sadness, stress, and motivation all at the same time.
It goes back to Matthew 28 when the scriptures describe the women who spoke to the angel as people who ran with great fear and joy after their experience. Can you imagine a great fear and joy simultaneously?
Whatever your opinion is on the mood of the room, I think we could all agree that the room was a heavy place to be in. In this space of fear and joy, I want you to notice how the men and women responded. Acts1:14 tells, “These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and the with His brothers.”
Before any actions, plans, or motivational speeches, the people went to God for help through prayer. Talk about heavy, can you imagine that moment and what those prayers most have sounded like? Can you imagine a room full of the disciples, faithful women, and Jesus’s family all praying for God’s guidance? I cannot even come close to imagining the weight of that moment!
There are many simple lessons that we can take away from this monumental moment we read about in Acts 1. When most of us experience heavy moments of fear or joy, prayer is often times not our first response. We respond quickly in whichever way we believe can either fix our situation or bring comfort to it best. If we had to be honest, prayer is usually not our first response.
Take time and really imagine this moment. Close your eyes and imagine the room they prayed in. The words they might have said to the Lord in this moment. Now examine your personal prayer life. How is your reality compared to your imagination? No matter where you are in your life or where God is taking you, a strong prayer life is essential. Learn from this text and model what you’ve imagined moving forward. Most of what we experience is designed to bring us to the type of prayers we just read about. A joy and fear that leads to dependence and faith.
Stay faithful church.
SCRIPTURE TO GO WITH THIS WEEK’S MESSAGE
Read Matthew 6:1-15 on more scripture pertaining to prayer.
