#8 | Take Time to Think
Read: Acts 4:23-37
Meditate on your own:
- What do you notice about the prayer in this passage? What does it state about God and people? What does it imply about the people praying it?
- What do you notice about the community of those who believed? What do you find striking about it?
- What verse/phrase stands out to you?
- What truth about God or mankind do you think you can draw from this?
- Where do you see other parts of the Bible saying the same thing?
- Why is this good news, both for you and for others?
- What does this reveal about your own heart? What do you need to repent of? What do you need to ask God for?
Consider
If your friend were to ask you, “What is the Bible?” how would you answer? The apostles and their friends understood that the Bible is not what modern culture has made it out to be. It is not a random assortment of religious history books compiled together, nor is it a record of people’s feelings about God and experiences with God. It is not simply a human book, full of errors and contradictions, nor is it a divine book that accommodates to the errors of the times it was written, scientific or otherwise. The apostles understood the Bible to be nothing less than the Sovereign Lord speaking through prophets like David by the Holy Spirit. What’s more, the apostles and their contemporaries would later state that the Bible is not only the record of the Sovereign Lord speaking, but also how he speaks today (2 Timothy 3:16, Hebrews 4:12).
Essentially, the Bible is Gods own word; God spoke the Bible and now speaks through the Bible. If you want to hear God speak, read his written words. Whether you’ve heard this before or not, pause and marvel at how amazing that is. The Sovereign King “eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God,” to whom “be honor and glory forever and ever” spoke and still speaks (1 Timothy 1:17). As you read the Bible, like a real conversation with a real person, you listen to God speak, and that prompts a response from you. When you’re done sharing, you listen to God talk again (read verse 2). Perhaps what he says doesn't prompt an immediate response, so God keeps talking (read verse 3, verse 4, keep going…) until you’re prompted to respond again. God is willing to have that conversation with you as long as you want, as often as you want.
Take time to think about how will you prioritize time talking with God this week? Also, consider praying through a Psalm, perhaps Psalm 23. Look at the Psalm verse by verse and talk to God about whatever comes to mind as you do. If nothing comes to mind or you don't understand the verse, just move onto the next one. If you are able, take a few minutes (or longer) to do that now.
Pray:
Use the acronym IOUS, turning the prayers of the Psalmist into your own.
Incline my heart to you and not to prideful gain or any false motive!
Psalm 119:36
Open my eyes to behold wonderous things out of your Word.
Psalm 119:18
Unite my heart to fear your name.
Psalm 86:11
Satisfy me with your steadfast love.
Psalm 90:14
