Then the church throughout Judea, Galilee and Samaria enjoyed a time of peace and was strengthened. Living in the fear of the Lord and encouraged by the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers. Acts 9:31

Acts 9 gives us many stories of God’s healing power. Not just the physical healing of Aeneas and Dorcas, but also a spiritual healing as Saul turned from being the foremost persecutor to a key proselytizer. It is no surprise that a common thread in these stories is prayer and the Holy Spirit. Although I am not sure that the church has ever really enjoyed a time of peace where Christians worldwide are living without fear of persecution, I can understand that through the peace of the Holy Spirit and knowledge of the Lord the Church can continue to grow and be strengthened. As we face different fears and obstacles than our Christian family of Biblical times, our path to strengthening and growing our church remains the same. Sometimes it may seem as if that path has taken some shortcuts, or has detoured way off course and we may find ourselves pulled in other directions by popular culture, friends, and even family. Reading through Acts 9 reminds me that living with Christ brings the responsibility to share that peace and joy.

Prayer

Dear Lord, please give me the strength to share your peace and joy with others.