“I was again focusing on an account in the Book of Acts,” Stan said one morning, “that has a real impact on my faith walk and deeper relationship with God.”
“Lots of that in the Bible!” I replied.
“Exactly,” Stan said, “and a point I want to make is about the importance of allowing God to take me aside to show me.”
“Take you aside?” I responded. “In what way?”
“Well,” Stan replied, “the story in the Book of Acts I was looking at concerns three people, but I think it concerns every believer, especially me.”
“How so?” I asked.
“There was a man by the name of Apollos who spoke out boldly about Jesus, but he didn’t know the whole story about Him. It says that Apollos only knew about how Jesus was baptized by John.”
“Obviously,” I replied, “there was whole lot he didn’t know.”
“Exactly,” Stan replied. “Just like me. And the two other people in this story, a husband and wife by the names of Aquila and Priscilla, took Apollos aside and explained to Apollos the way of God more accurately.”
“So he would know more of the truth of Jesus and all that He accomplished through His life, death, and resurrection?” I responded.
“That’s it,” Stan said. “And if you remember, we talked about their gentle approach to Apollos a while back [Note to reader: See Posting Number 278, “A Right Way And A Wrong Way.]
Continuing, he added, “The point for me in this story is that God, just like the husband and wife, takes me aside to show me more fully the truth of Jesus and all that He has for me on both sides of eternity.”
“Takes you aside?” I replied. “In what way?”
“It’s all about how I choose to spend time with God each day,” Stan said. “It’s about the choice to allow God to take me aside to hear His gentle voice as He explains more fully about who He is, what He has done, and what He wants to do in and through me.”
“That kind of being taken aside to have a deeper explanation,” I responded, “sounds kind of like what Jesus said about eternal life consisting of knowing God the Father and Jesus the Son.”
“That’s it, my friend,” Stan replied, “only I think it’s a whole lot more than just ‘kind of like’!”
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Bible verses to consider:
Now a certain Jew named Apollos, an Alexandrian by birth, an eloquent man, came to Ephesus; and he was mighty in the Scriptures. This man had been instructed in the way of the Lord; and being fervent in spirit, he was speaking and teaching accurately the things concerning Jesus, being acquainted only with the baptism of John; and he began to speak boldly in the synagogue. But when Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him aside and explained to him the way of God more accurately. Acts of the Apostles 18:24 – 26.
And this is eternal life, that they may know Thee, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. John 17:3.
Prayer: Thank you, Father, that you want to take me aside to explain to me more fully about you and your ways. I confess that too often I do not choose to have you take me aside to hear what you have for me because I choose to do what I want to do apart from you. Please forgive me. And please help me in following your lead in wanting to spend time with you, listening to your voice, so I do know you more deeply. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Do you allow God to take you aside to learn about Him and His ways more deeply? Why or why not? Do you agree that it’s a choice you have to make to be taken aside by God; that it won’t just happen on its own? Do you want to make that choice to spend time alone with God, but you just can’t seem to make it happen? If you choose to spend the time and are silent before God, listening to His voice, He will explain more fully His ways. Try it; you will discover things about God you never knew!
Waiting for the Train 