Temptation

This weekend I’ve been reading Acts 8:1-8.

This verse in particular has caught my attention (v1), ” At that time a great persecution arose against the church which was at Jerusalem; and they were all scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria,”

I’ve been bombarded with the real temptations to get caught up in the busy life that surrounds me. I work a 9-5 job, Monday to Friday, that I feel God placed me 8 years ago.  I have 4 kids, and my wife.  I have the dirty diaper changes, the breakfast to make when the wife needs to sleep in (b/c our newborn kept her up the night before, and yes, I do make breakfast at other times as well), the homeschooling to help with, the house to clean with the kids, the kids to play with, the car’s oil to change, the computer just crashed so I have to fix it, the wood to stack (we heat our home with wood(, and then there’s the FOTB prayer that we’re involved in.  It certainly takes a measure of discipline to keep my eyes fixed on the simple and steady things that God’s word calls us to walk through.  The temptation to let a busy life sweep me away is something that I face – I know my wife feels the same way.

As I consider the verse above, I can’t imagine having a major hub being displaced in such a dramatic fashion.  I look around the world today, knowing of some major missions centers, but none can compare to the beginnings of something like what was had in Jerusalem. I think of how much calamity must have been taking place around those people who were followers of Christ.  Some were most likely newbies, others may have been followers for some time, and then the others were the apostles.

I think of the real threats that people in that day had to live with.  Here, in my life, I concern myself with things like: knowing Jesus, food, shelter, and health for my wife and kids.  These just don’t seem as imminent a threat as what may have existed in those days of Jerusalem.

I wonder about the fathers and mothers of that day.  There are those parents who took a chance to believe what was spoken of Jesus and now were being persecuted because of their beliefs.  They must have been concerned for the safety of their children.  There must have been some inner questioning of their choice to believe the words of Jesus.  The fathers and mothers had to keep things together enough to move these families out into Judea and Samaria.  I think things like, “Where did they go?  How did they make the choice about where to flee?”

There is truly much to the story that we may not know.  There must be personal stories of great things that God did in their midst during this time.  There must have been families who moved together with other families, and this built a sense of community, fellowship, and accountability.  There certainly was worship and prayer involved.  This is what keeps me encouraged.  God knows us enough to place us within a community of believers who will encourage us towards the best things (Matt 22:37).  In this context we will struggle through the hard and challenging stuff together.  We will have people to pray for us and to pray with us.  At our FOTB prayer times, there are men who are sitting there, elbow-to-elbow, praying together with me because they see that it’s the best thing for them to do for their families and for their life in God.  There are mothers there who have chosen that time as sacred for the purpose of agreeing with God and His Word.  If you have a chance, come pray with us on a Friday night.

On Friday nights, as I sit there with this group, I am constantly reminded by the Holy Spirit of Acts 6:4-5, and the call to that kind of lifestyle of prayer; that kind of intimate friendship with God.  Maybe it’s just me, but it seems like the longer I know Christ, the more I depend on Him.  There’s comfort in knowing that I can continue to trust Him; in knowing that the Father is good (Ps 25:6-11), and He desires for me to know Him.  Lord, awaken our hearts!