Saturday: Last Instances Gathered Up
WEEK 42
SATURDAY
LAST INSTANCES GATHERED UP
Ephesians 6:18-20
We come now to gather up the remaining instances of prayer in the Acts. “Peter went up on the roof to pray. . . . He saw heaven opened up and something like a large linen sheet being lowered” (Acts 10:9-11). Here prayer was the instrument through which the Jewish prejudices of Peter were broken down, and he saw there was no ceremonial cleanness or uncleanness of anyone before God. He accepted people as people. Prayer here brought one of the most important revelations that ever came to humankind and laid the basis for human development everywhere. Here again prayer was outreaching beyond the self.
Another instance of prayer was this: “While Peter was held in prison, the church offered earnest prayer to God for him” (12:5). Here prayer was not for the safety of those praying that the persecution might not strike them, but for him whom it had struck. It was outgoing and altruistic.
A striking instance of prayer going out to others is this: “As they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Appoint Barnabas and Saul to the work I have called them to undertake.’ After they fasted and prayed, they laid their hands on these two and sent them off” (13:2-3). This was the mightiest outreach of prayer ever seen; for it touched the ends of the earth, even to us, through Paul and Barnabas, the missionaries.
An illustration of how prayer might have been turned to self-concern, but wasn’t, is this: “Around midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the other prisoners were listening to them” (16:25). Had Paul and Silas been praying for their own release, the prisoners would not have been listening to them; that would be what was expected. But here the prayer was so set to victorious joy—“singing hymns”—that the prisoners were drawn to it with amazement. Another instance: “‘we remember the Lord Jesus’ words: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” After he said these things, he knelt down with all of them to pray” (20:35-36). Note “to give than to receive”; with that emphasis he knelt down and prayed. When his life was in danger, he prayed that they might think more of giving than receiving. Prayer was outgoing still.
O Lord, how I do thank you for the wonderful love that pulsates through all this praying. Turn my prayers from festering inwardness to healthy outgoingness. Amen.
AFFIRMATION FOR THE DAY: My praying shall be the outgoing of my love to others and to him.