Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Stairway to Heaven

One of the best songs ever written for slow dancing is Stairway to Heaven by Led Zeppelin.  I think the original is around eight minutes long.  Back in high school, dancing to this song was one of two things . . . absolute heaven or complete torture.  It all depended on who asked you to dance and I was the kind of girl who hated to offend any one. In the arms of your high school crush, those eight minutes seemed to fly by.  In the arms of the wrong guy, that song dragged on for what seemed like hours.  During those tortuous eight minutes, you see your girlfriends teasing you from the sidelines making kissy faces, lightening your mood and allowing you to focus on the playful chiding you will receive from them after. Saving graces.


Todays first reading (Acts 16:22-34) made me a little emotional.  No matter how much the apostles were tortured, their steadfast faith in Jesus propelled them forward in leading others to His saving grace:



The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake.

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, "Do no harm to yourself; we are all here." He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" And they said, "Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved." So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.
The Book of Acts is like an action adventure movie, isn't it?  When I finished the reading today, I was struck by how much and how often the Apostles were physically tortured. And yet they persevered.  Such incredible strength and courage to save others for Christ.
In Volume One, Jesus assures us that through our service to Him, we can also contribute to saving others as the Apostles did:

“Be counted as a follower of Christ during these times and you will live forever in the love that surrounds Me. You may say fearfully, “Lord, what can I do? I am only one person.” Remember that there is no price for one soul. If one soul is worth dying for, and this is the truth, then how important is it that you respond to Me wholeheartedly so that I can save many through you? Truly, the graces at your disposal are countless. Your “yes” to Me today unleashes all manner of graces and sets into motion the saving of many souls who are being called from the darkness, now, as I am calling you. I am looking for quietness. I am looking for a calm defense of God. I am looking for consistent service and prayer. I am not calling you from the world. It is I who put you in the world, little children, and I intend to use you right where I have placed you.”


Lay apostles, what are you suffering from today?  No matter what it is, offer it up for the saving of souls.  Unite your suffering to Christ and the Apostles.  Look what their suffering brought to us today in 2012 . . . our salvation.


Thank you, Lord, for teaching me the courage and strength Your apostles possessed in order to save others.  Help me to continue building steps for my stairway to heaven!


God bless,
Bonnie



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