City Life Starter

Written by Paul Lane

The Word

²³ When they were released, they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. ²⁴ And when they heard it, they lifted their voices together to God and said, “Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and everything in them, ²⁵ who through the mouth of our father David, your servant,^{[ Or child]} said by the Holy Spirit,

“‘Why did the Gentiles rage,
    and the peoples plot in vain?
²⁶ The kings of the earth set themselves,
    and the rulers were gathered together,
    against the Lord and against his Anointed’^[Or Christ]—

²⁷ for truly in this city there were gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, along with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel, ²⁸ to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place. ²⁹ And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness, ³⁰ while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” ³¹ And when they had prayed, the place in which they were gathered together was shaken, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.

Acts 4:23-31 (ESV)

Reflection

Today I want to share this picture of a tightrope walker crossing Niagara Falls.  In some ways it is a great image for faith, but in other ways it is completely wrong.  You see, in order for someone to have the boldness to take up such a daring exploit, one would need great confidence and great boldness, which is the type of thing that every Christian should have.  Just like this man, this kind of confidence comes from a life lived in dedication to perfecting a craft.  In the case of our tightrope walker, to take up this feat, years and years of practice and training would have to be conducted, and smaller challenges would have to be overcome before taking on something like this.

Jesus said that we would do even greater things than He did, but we need to understand that such things would only come about if we walk in His teaching and followed His path.  The Lord has great exploits for us, if we only walk in His leading and follow His training plan.  I cannot say if your great exploits would come in a day, a week, or a hundred years.  I can only say that they come as a result of being filled with the Holy Spirit.

Now we get to the point that this picture is not a great image for how our faith should be.  Anyone looking at this picture should be able to understand that this is not an ordinary thing, but it is something that is humanly achievable.  But this is not the shape of our faith.  You see, our faith is a thing that God fashions within us, and when we act in the power of the Holy Spirit, we achieve that which is not humanly possible.  The goal is not to reach the outer limits of what is humanly possible, but rather to reach for the deepest intimacy with the Lord and to see how He chooses to use us for His purposes.  So, if you have the faith to walk across such a tightrope, the Lord bless you with love, safety, and the endurance to do all the preparation.  I’ll watch and take pictures.  However, it is more likely that He has a different boldness for you that looks a bit more day-to-day.  But do not be discouraged.  I’ll be happy to watch, take pictures, and would more likely join in.

Application

What are some everyday things that you could do that would help you grow in intimacy with the Lord?  Are there some simple things that the Lord is asking you to do that would help you grow in boldness?  Try standing on a balance board and praying for 5 minutes, then grow it to 7 minutes, and then 10 minutes.  As you grow in faith you might find that the balance board is optional.  That is OK.  Your faith is the real treasure.

Prayer

My Help Comes from the Lord

A Song of Ascents.

121 I lift up my eyes to the hills.
    From where does my help come?
² My help comes from the Lord,
    who made heaven and earth.

³ He will not let your foot be moved;
    he who keeps you will not slumber.
⁴ Behold, he who keeps Israel
    will neither slumber nor sleep.

⁵ The Lord is your keeper;
    the Lord is your shade on your right hand.
⁶ The sun shall not strike you by day,
    nor the moon by night.

⁷ The Lord will keep you from all evil;
    he will keep your life.
⁸ The Lord will keep
    your going out and your coming in
    from this time forth and forevermore.