Words of Exhortation for Me
Scripture Passage: Acts 13:13-24 (NASB)
13 Now Paul and his companions put out to sea from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia; but John left them and returned to Jerusalem. 14 But going on from Perga, they arrived at Pisidian Antioch, and on the Sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down. 15 After the reading of the Law and the Prophets, the synagogue officials sent word to them, saying, “Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, say it.” 16 Paul stood up, and motioning with his hand said,
“Men of Israel, and you who fear God, listen: 17 The God of this people Israel chose our fathers and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with an uplifted arm He led them out from it. 18 For a period of about forty years He put up with them in the wilderness. 19 When He had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, He distributed their land as an inheritance—all of which took about 450 years. 20 After these things He gave them judges until Samuel the prophet. 21 Then they asked for a king, and God gave them Saul the son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, for forty years. 22 After He had removed him, He raised up David to be their king, concerning whom He also testified and said, ‘I have found David, the son of Jesse, a man after My heart, who will do all My will.’ 23 From the descendants of this man, according to promise, God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, 24 after John had proclaimed, before His coming, a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel.
SUMMARY
After arriving at Pisidian Antioch, Paul goes to the synagogue to observe the Sabbath. The synagogue officials then ask Paul to say a word of exhortation for the people. Without any hesitation, Paul stands up and urges people in the synagogue to listen, then eloquently preaches the whole history of Israel up to when God sent Jesus Christ to be their savior.
MEDITATION AND REFLECTION
As I was getting ready to have my quiet time this morning, I noticed myself feeling dry and distant from God’s words. I was feeling tired and unmotivated, and didn’t feel the sense of anticipation that I usually feel during my quiet time. Sometimes for me the worst is not when I feel sad but when I feel apathetic. Perhaps it’s because of too many monotonous days trying to do everything at home and being distant from friends and family.
But as I started reading today’s text, God once again spoke words of exhortation, earnestly pleading with me to listen to His voice (ver. 16). A voice that reminds me over and over again who He is and what He had done and what my true identity is. God went so far as to remind me of the entire history of His grace, mercy and love to the world, through Paul’s words.
First, God chose me (Ver. 17). He didn’t wait for me to come to him but chose me to be His child and His bride. I wasn’t born into a Christian family. I had no family or friends who were guiding me spiritually, but somehow God found me and reached my heart.
Second, God made me great and special in His eyes (ver. 17). God calls my eccentric, sensitive and obsessive personality great and special and wants to use even my weakness for his kingdom and glory.
God also led me out of “Egypt” with His uplifted arm (ver. 17) even as I rejected Him. I was worshipping so many false idols such as work, money, people etc. But He forgave my sins, always putting up with me even in the wilderness (ver. 18) when I would complain endlessly, doubting his love. God didn’t give up on me. Instead, He sent Jesus to display the ultimate love on the cross so I can live and be eternally free from the death of my sins (ver. 23).
As I was meditating on these verses, I saw God motioning with His hands and speaking to me with so much passion yet with such gentle and tender love (ver. 16).
APPLICATION
I want to pursue God, not my own emotions that can often be so fickle and are easily swayed by many external things. I want to build up my spiritual muscle and faith, not based on my fleeting feelings but the Truth, His Word.
PRAYER
Lord, thank you for today’s reminder. As you tell us in this passage, as Pastor David told us this past Sunday, You love us unconditionally. Your love doesn’t depend on our actions. Your love pursues us to the ends of the earth. Your love is the truth, it is fact, whether I feel it or not. Thank you for giving us the gift of Your Word, which refreshes and encourages me – even when I don’t feel like being refreshed or encouraged. Your love is beyond my comprehension. Please help me simply to rest in that love, no matter what I am going through. Help me to rest not on my own changing emotions but on the Rock of Your love.
In Jesus’s name I pray. Amen.
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