Following the Divine Presence
Rev.
Eappen Varghese
Greetings to
all in the name of our Lord and saviour Jesus Christ. For our today’s devotion
let’s meditate on Acts 16: 6-10.
Bible
Passage: Acts 16: 6-10
Acts of the Apostles
is called as the exodus of the New Testament. It gives a vivid description of
the Christian Mission and tells us about the Holy Spirit. A Dove with its head
facing upwards symbolises the presence of the Holy Spirit. In the selected passage
we see the presence of the Holy Spirit and how this presence directs Paul and
his companions to new locale and moves them ahead in their mission.
Follow
the presence is looking beyond our stands:
The previous
chapter deals about the Jerusalem Council, wherein Paul makes his stand regarding
supporting the gentiles in the issue of gentile circumcision. Paradox it may
seem, in ch 16 the same Paul asks Timothy to get circumcised. We should see
this contradiction as the directive from the Holy Spirit to make him look
beyond his stand.
In this
passage the Holy Spirit guides Paul not to travel to Asia, Bithunia and rather
guides them to Macedonia. When the Holy Spirit restricts Paul, it is a call
given to try out a new strategy of mission. Paul’s travel to Asia might have
been a result of following a specific victorious pattern of mission. The presence
of Holy Spirit challenges us to think beyond following a set pattern. We need
not restrict ourselves by just following a path that has found victory and
cling on to certain stands. We need to look beyond it and find out new
possibilities. Here the Holy Spirit confronts these things which they felt as
important and better.
We need to
take courageous decisions and stand in our lives. But our stand should not be
absolutised in itself and made it as perfect one. Charlie Chaplin’s quotes his childhood
memoirs in the book ‘Childhood’. He
quotes a scene from a circus company where he used to do menial jobs. There was
an artist who practiced very hard and gained expertise in balancing the billiards
stick on his head with the entire billiards ball on top of it. But when he
performed this impeccable feat in front of the crowd, nobody applauded. The
manager said to the dejected artist that, ‘With the way you did it, people felt
it as an easy task. Try falling the ball and balancing it. Then they may value
your efforts.” To this the artist replied “It is impossible for me to do it as
I have gained so lot of perfection in it.”
Sometimes perfection
in itself becomes a failure.
Following
the presence is looking beyond the set target:
When we read
from verse 11-15, we see Paul’s confrontation with Lydia in Philippi. The
narrative states that Paul on the Sabbath day waits by the riverside for
prayer. He expects people to join him. He might have had a target plan of
mission but God’s plan was completely different. Verse 14 clearly describes
that God opened the heart of a woman entrepreneur named Lydia. This in turn
helped Paul and his companions to set up their mission work in Philippi.
When we set up
target points and make it as fixed, we might often miss certain things. It is
not wrong to set up target plans, but in the end it is God who directs it. When
we follow the presence of the Holy Spirit we need to look beyond our set
target. When we broaden our vision, we might fall into some unexplored avenues.
Often it may lead us to sad situations, but we should submit ourselves to the
will of God and let God work. Lydia popularised them and continuously provided
aid for mission.
Also Paul
could have easily leveraged upon the fame and friendly nature of the Lady
having the spirit of divination. Here Paul sets an example by discerning the
evil intentions behind it. Though this lands him and Silas in prison, it
results in winning the family of the Jailor towards Christ. We should have the
discerning power to identify the evil intentions of people who try to impress
us for their personal motives. We should not set our aim to impress others;
rather our works should create a long lasting impact in their lives.
Following
the presence is being confined in God.
From verse
19-34, we come across the after effects of Paul’s conversation with the lady
having the spirit of divination. It lands them in jail and there we witness the
miraculous act of God saving them. Though Paul was freed from the prison they
do not try to escape. Even in the prison they were confined with God and became
the prisoners of Godly presence. Their courage of staying back in the prison
might have shocked the Jailor. The Jailor thus submits himself to that power which
confined Paul and his companions in jail.
When we are
confined in God, our mission becomes Salvific. If a mission cannot bring a new
order of life then it is an incomplete mission. There is no mission without
soterilogy. In the following verses from 31-34, we see the Jailor’s conversion.
These verses describe some of the pre-requisites of creating a new order of
life as seen in the life of the Jailor. Preaching the word of God; the Jailor
then heals their wounds (an example of confession); entire house baptised (an
expression of sacrament); fellowship with family (a symbol of church)
There is a
famous quote associated with St. James the brother of Jesus and the elder of
the early church. It says, “His knees were like that of a camel. Because he was
in constant prayer.” Often lack of proper prayer life obstructs miracle to
happen in our lives. Being confined to God makes miracles and creates a new
order in our lives.
We have come
across one more Christmas season. Advent is a time to renew ourselves. We need to review over the set patterns, and
stands which we have taken. Our targets and aims should be such that we also allow
God to intervene and act in it. We need to be confined in God so that miracles
do happen in our lives and our ministry.
May the
almighty God bless us all!!