City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

¹⁸ (Now this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness, and falling headlong, he burst open in the middle and all his intestines gushed out.  

Acts 1:18 (NASB)

Reflection

Here’s a sentence that is an aside from the rest of Chapter 1.  In case you were wondering what happened to Judas after he betrayed Jesus, here it is.  But today the phrase “this man acquired a field with the price of his wickedness…” really stuck out for me.  This phrase sounds like the fairly standard parental wisdom that children of all ages have a hard time listening too.  How many times do parents tell their children that there are consequences to their actions.  If you behave poorly, you will get poor results.

Jesus teaches us, in Matthew 25 “The Judgment,” that if we behave well, we will buy a field of good things, but if we behave poorly, we will buy a field of wickedness.   

³¹ “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. ³² And all the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, just as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; ³³ and He will put the sheep on His right, but the goats on the left.”

Matthew 25:31-33 (NASB)

Often, we go through challenges, and it feels like God has abandoned us, or that our struggles have not reached His attention.  Do not be discouraged.  God is aware of every act that you do.  The Lord’s faithfulness is there every moment; however, for us to understand it, we need to see it when the work is completed.  Works are judged when they have been completed, not while they are being implemented.  So, Chapter 1 of Acts starts out with a showing of the end work of Judas, so that the work of Christ’s followers can be seen clearly.  The purchase of the wicked field is now complete, enter the work of purchasing the field of righteousness and of good things.

Application

God promises that weeping may endure for the night, but joy comes in the morning.  This really does sound like a Christian cliché, but I have found it to be true in my life.  Time marches on, and the struggle lasts for only a while.

You may find yourself in what seems to be a field of wickedness of your own making.  Do not fret.  It is only temporary.  The Lord is forgiving and faithful.  Even if there are some consequences that you must walk through to overcome your mistakes, the Lord has not abandoned you.  Remember, His work is not complete yet, He is always a diligent worker, and He will see His work completed according to His will.

Prayer

Dear Lord, thank You for working in my life, and teaching me to endure hardships.  I pray that the hardships I am going through now accomplish the intention You have for them, that my character may be changed to that which is consistent with Your will.  In this difficulty, uphold my arms, that I might praise You always.  Please strengthen my legs, so that I might stand firm on the holy ground that You have placed before me.  And Lord, teach me Your grace that I might be a blessing to all who come in my path.  In Jesus’ name, amen.