PRAYER OF CONSECRATION

Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you. 

Jesus, I belong to you.

I lift up my heart to you.
I set my mind on you.
I fix my eyes on you.
I offer my body to you as a living sacrifice.

Jesus, we belong to you. 

Praying in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit, amen. 

Acts 23:1–5

Paul looked straight at the Sanhedrin and said, “My brothers, I have fulfilled my duty to God in all good conscience to this day.” At this the high priest Ananias ordered those standing near Paul to strike him on the mouth. Then Paul said to him, “God will strike you, you whitewashed wall! You sit there to judge me according to the law, yet you yourself violate the law by commanding that I be struck!”

Those who were standing near Paul said, “How dare you insult God’s high priest!”

Paul replied, “Brothers, I did not realize that he was the high priest; for it is written: ‘Do not speak evil about the ruler of your people.’”

CONSIDER THIS

When it came to the knowledge and application of Scripture, Paul was a model of consistency. We can also say he was even-handed. In today’s text, he calls out the hypocrisy of the high priest noting he was violating the very law by which he was judging Paul. Then Paul realized he was violating the law by which he was judging the high priest.

A mark of maturity is the humility required to own your foul when someone calls it on you. Here we see two men equally schooled and skilled in the Mosaic law: Paul and Ananias. One seems to violate the law with impunity in the name of enforcing it. The other seems to practically call his own foul with a citation of the statute violated. 

Two things I have noticed about people over the years. Many will own fault when it is not their fault in order to maintain peace. Many will not own their fault, but rather qualify or justify themselves when they are at fault to maintain power. How is it that so often these two people marry each other? This dynamic is dysfunctional and creates oppressive family systems and community structures. As the followers of Jesus, when we miss the mark or commit a foul, we need to get good at confessing the following: “I was wrong. I am sorry. It was my fault.” Let’s take it one step further. The confession, “If I wronged or hurt you, I’m sorry,” is not an apology. Nor is an apology with a justification or qualified explanation an apology. 

One more thing. Note how Paul continues to address his avowed adversaries throughout this conversation. He calls them “My brothers.” Paul knew they hated him, considered him apostate, wanted him dead, and regarded him as an abomination. He called them “My brothers.” In this whole episode, Paul doesn’t try to prove anything or win an argument. He simply bore witness to God in good conscience, fulfilling his duty. Paul doesn’t seem to hate them nor do we have any evidence he slandered them in good passive-aggressive Christian form (i.e., behind their backs when he got the chance).

For Paul, love was not a soft and easy sentiment. Paul knew love was the hard-core bottom line of the “life hid with Christ in God.”

Love is not soft. Love is hard.

Here’s a mark of Holy Spirit maturity in a follower of Jesus: You no longer have anything to prove; only something and someone to become like. That “something” is the hard-core, road-meets-the-rubber love of God. And yes, that someone to become like? I think we know who that is. 

When we start calling our own fouls we will know we are at least getting a little closer. ;0)

THE PRAYER OF TRANSFORMATION

Lord Jesus, I am your witness. I long to be like you. 

I receive your righteousness and release my sinfulness.
I receive your wholeness and release my brokenness.
I receive your fullness and release my emptiness.
I receive your peace and release my anxiety.
I receive your joy and release my despair.
I receive your healing and release my sickness.
I receive your love and release my selfishness.

Come, Holy Spirit, transform my heart, mind, soul, and strength so that my consecration becomes your demonstration; that our lives become your sanctuary. For the glory of God our Father, amen.

THE JOURNAL PROMPTS

How hard is it for you to admit you are wrong without endlessly needing to justify yourself? Are you the type to apologize when it is not your fault? Why is that? Are you the type who tries to justify yourself and absolve your fault when you have done wrong or missed the mark? Why is that? 

THE HYMN

Today we will sing “More Love to Thee, O Christ” hymn 588 from our Seedbed hymnal, Our Great Redeemer’s Praise. Get your copy here. 

For the Awakening,
J. D. Walt

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