Acts 7: 60 “Then he knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
Dear God,
Thank You for every blessing and for the most precious gift, Jesus Christ, who came to this world, and lived a sinless live, filled with the Spirit. As Scripture has recorded, He was put to death and arose again. He has paid the sin price for all of us. This is a gift which cannot be priced, and it is undeserved. When my (our) hope is pinned upon Jesus, we are blessed now and in expectation. I can say these words, but without Your Spirit giving me full understanding and acceptance, they may not achieve Your full intention in my mind and life. I pray for the Holy Spirit to make up for the lack in understanding of what is offered, as well as in my belief and acceptance of Scripture.
Jeremiah 31: 31 – 34, talks of how the Israelites broke the covenant that had made with them. But because of mercy from You, God, they were not abandoned, V33 “………I will put My law in their minds and write it on their hearts and I will be their God, and they shall be My people.”
It really shows how much they/we are prized, and how important it is to follow You, and we will taught what we should do. We receive graciousness, V34 “……… I will forgive their iniquity and their sin I will remember no more.”
I have continued to read about Stephen in Act 7, who was full of Your Spirit in the temple, and recounted their history as Israelites, including how they ill-treated the past prophets, who under inspiration, foretold the coming of the Messiah. After the Messiah came and mingled with the Israelite people, He was not recognised by most or treated well, either. Toward Stephen they reacted as they had toward Jesus our Saviour; their promised One. Stephen at the end of his discourse was given a vision from You and saw into heaven, with You and Jesus at Your right hand, pictured. Even when facing his violent death, Stephen did not falter in his love and faithfulness, and instead prayed his famous prayer, asking that their sin toward him be not charged to them.
Such faith is a gift from heaven, and is available, from Your Spirit when we ask and believe. It was faith bestowed through the Holy Spirit upon Jesus, and then Stephen, that enabled both of them to endure inhuman treatment and violence until their life was taken by fiends clothed in human flesh; imbued with the spirit of Satan.
There are still inhumane and violent actions upon this earth, toward those of different faiths. Fill me with Your love toward them and all people; and keep our thoughts focused upon Jesus on His crude cross. I thank You for the example of the many people who have gone before us doing so, even when it cost them their lives.
Amen