Jaw-dropping Jewels about Jesus
Rarely does Jesus, God the Son, do exactly what we expect of Him. It seems odd that He so frequently surprises us, given that He never changes. Hebrews 13:8 makes this absolute statement: “Jesus the same yesterday, and today, and forever.” Still, though He is blessedly consistent in His goodness, Jesus does unforeseen things. Even when He does what is expected, He does not always do it in the way that we anticipate. Let us join with Jesus on a jaw-dropping journey. (I will be using this opening paragraph for each of the brief messages in this series. The following material will change daily.)
Because “the prayers of all saints” ascend “before the throne” of God (Revelation 8:3-4), we really need no further impetus to pray. However, the Word of God provides a myriad of other reasons to encourage us to intercede regularly. The early Church, for example, was noteworthy for its reliance upon prayer. Acts 1:14 records that, after Jesus’ Ascension, the disciples “all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication.” After Pentecost (the day that God the Holy Spirit indwelt each believer), “they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers” (Acts 2:42). Prayer accompanied important decisions, such as the naming of deacons (Acts 6:1-7) and the commissioning of missionaries (Acts 13:1-3). Specific individual needs, such as Peter’s unjust imprisonment (Acts 12:5-17), were also subjects of intense intercession. This pattern of prayer within the first-century Church is clearly a sterling example for us. May we also learn to rely upon our Savior in sincere and steady supplication.