From regreting to Rejoicing

“So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.”

Acts 5: 41 ( New King James version)

Going back a bit , verses 12- 16 , “And through the hands of the apostles many signs and wonders were done among the people. And they were all with one accord in Solomon’s Porch. Yet none of the rest dared join them, but the people esteemed them highly. And believers were increasingly added to the Lord, multitudes of both men and women, so that they brought the sick out into the streets and laid them on beds and couches, that at least the shadow of Peter passing by might fall on some of them. Also a multitude gathered from the surrounding cities to Jerusalem, bringing sick people and those who were tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all healed” The apostles were up and about doing God’s will . They were serving the Lord with all their heart , mind and strength in one accord . Isn’t that so beautiful ! We read on verses 17-21 that they were put in prison , but at night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors and brought them out, and said “ Go, stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words of this life.” (Verse 20) . Now the high priest , the captain of the temple and the chief priests were astonished to find them out in the temple preaching when they were supposed to be in jail. When they questioned them Peter boldly spoke back to them.
We read in verse 40 , “And they agreed with him, and when they had called for the apostles and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.”

They stood boldly for Christ , they obeyed His word and His leading at every step .. They had entered the temple early in the morning and taught as the angel of the Lord said. And what happened ? They were beaten up ! And what was the reaction of the apostles ? “So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.” They rejoiced ! They were so so happy that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name ! They rejoiced !!

I honestly wonder what I would have done … I probably would have thought ‘Lord why didn’t you send your angels when they were going to beat me up and show them I am Yours… Lord You should have sent Your wall of fire so that they couldn’t come near me’…. Yup I guess I probably would have questioned what God allowed. But not the apostles ! They rejoiced. They were happy when the angel let them out of the prisons ,but they rejoiced even more when they were beaten up for His name sake ! An honor !

Lord , give us a spirit of rejoicing and take away the spirit of grumbling and questioning Your ways. I drive for half an hour from my sister’s place to church and say out of ten traffic signals I get stuck at one signal and I’m running late what do I do ? I grumble about that one signal ! How easy it is to forget about the other nine signals that God cleared the way for me. Most of the times its so easy to grumble. If I had woken up early enough and started a little earlier then I wouldn’t worry about the traffic . Its always everyone else’s fault except ours ! J

Lord change us ! Please change us. The apostles went through so much and yet they rejoiced . Seriously what is our biggest problem today ? The traffic ? Work pressure ? Finances ? Exams ? Are these what push us further away from God ? When we stand on the day of Judgment what is going to count ? What will we say ?

Father work in us … change us and use us for Your glory . Fill us with Your Spirit.

God Bless