“Not only was the apostle Paul gifted at being able to say a lot in a few words,” Stan commented, “I think that at times he was a master of the understatement.”
“Master of the understatement?” I replied. “In what way?”
“Well,” Stan said, “let me give you an example. In the Book of the Acts of the Apostles that gives kind of a history of the early church, there was a time when Paul had been arrested and brought before a king by the name Agrippa.”
“Oh,” I said, “I remember him. At one point you described him as someone who just couldn’t get a grip on coming to faith.”
“You’re right,” Stan replied, “but that was a different story for a different day. [Note to reader: See the posting for December 3, 2021, “Almost is not Close Enough”.] Today I want to focus on a different aspect about King Agrippa.”
“What’s that?”
“How something that Paul said to him is a good example of what I am supposed to do in my daily faith walk.”
“How could something that Paul said to No-Grip Agrippa a long time ago have any possible connection to your faith walk today?”
“Giving credit where credit is due,” Stan replied.
“How so?”
“In a single verse that records what Paul said to Agrippa, there is a phrase that is to be a part of my daily faith walk.”
“However,” Stan continued, “if I’m not careful it’s real easy for me to start taking credit for things that God does. With the apostle Paul, he came right out and told King Agrippa where his help had come from.”
“Where?”
“God’” Stan said. “Paul is recorded as saying to Agrippa that without the help from God he wouldn’t be where he was. Seems to me that I’m to do the same thing and acknowledge where my help comes from, and that’s God.”
“Didn’t Jesus say something about that when He said that apart from Him we can’t do anything?”
“He did,” Stan replied, “and Jesus also said He would have the Father send the Holy Spirit, called the Helper, to live in all believers.”
“To be the source of help? Is that it?”
“That’s it, my friend,” Stan said. “And I am to acknowledge to everyone all of the help God gives! It’s not about me and what I can do myself, but it’s about God and what He did and what He does!”
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Bible verses to consider:
And so, having obtained help from God, I stand this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place. Acts of the Apostles 26:22.
I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me, and I in him, he bears much fruit; for apart from Me you can do nothing. John 15:5.
And I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not behold Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you, and will be in you. John 14:16-17.
Prayer: Father, thank you for all you have done for me in granting me life eternally with you when my time here is completed, along with the eternal life of knowing you and Jesus before then. I confess that too often I want to take credit for what you do in and through me. Please forgive me of that foolish way of acknowledging or not acknowledging your presence in my life. And please, Father, help me to follow every step of your lead in alway knowing that apart from you I can do nothing, and that you are the source of all that is done in and through me. Help me to acknowledge that truth to others so they, too, will see and acknowledge you. Thank you I can and do bring these prayers before you in the name of Jesus. Amen.
Think on this: Have you acknowledged and accepted God’s free and gracious help in being able to spend eternity in His presence when your time here is completed? If no, why? If you do have the assurance of salvation and redemption, how are you doing with acknowledging God’s presence in your life on this side of eternity so that others will know? If you sense there is a need for some changes in how you acknowledge God and His presence in your life, how are those changes going to happen? Is that what you want? Why or why not?
Waiting for the Train 