As soon as they were freed, Peter and John returned to the other believers and told them what the leading priests and elders had said. When they heard the report, all the believers lifted their voices together in prayer to God: "O Sovereign Lord, Creator of heaven and earth, the sea, and everything in them — you spoke long ago by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant, saying,
'Why were the nations so angry?
Why did they waste their time with futile plans?
The kings of the earth prepared for battle;
the rulers gathered together
against the Lord
and against his Messiah.'
"In fact, this has happened here in this very city! For Herod Antipas, Pontius Pilate the governor, the Gentiles, and the people of Israel were all united against Jesus, your holy servant, whom you anointed. But everything they did was determined beforehand according to your will."
When under severe attack and threatened with persecution by those who have killed your hero, what do you do? You pray and root your prayer in the Scriptures (in this instance,
Psalm 2). The disciples recognized that what had happened to Jesus, along with their own recent experiences, was proclaimed by David and that similar things had been repeated throughout history. They believed they were living in the plan of God as it unfolded. They recommitted themselves to their calling based on their God, the Sovereign ruler over all things. That commitment meant they could speak with God and ask for his power and help. Do we truly have this kind of commitment? Do we give up too easily and blame God for our struggles? Let's notice all that these early disciples endured, yet they still trusted that God was with them. Will we?
O God, forgive me. I become quickly and easily discouraged because of the painful trials and losses of human life. I remember these early disciples who had already seen their Lord brutally crucified. They had their leaders beaten and imprisoned. However, even under threat of further persecution, they didn't back down but sought your help and trusted in your will and power to bring them through their storms with boldness and courage. O Holy Spirit, please anoint us with your power and stir us to such faith. I ask this for the glory of Jesus and his cause. Amen.
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