Devotions - Tuesday, August 12

In Acts 5, we encounter a member of the ruling Jewish Council by the name of Gamaliel. He is described as a "teacher of the law." We are told elsewhere that he was one of Paul's teachers.

In Acts 5, the Apostles are before the Council. They had already been forbidden to teach in Jesus' name - a directive they had ignored. The Council is trying to decide what to do with them. Gamaliel stands before the Council and tells them, "keep away from these men and leave them alone; for if this plan or this undertaking is of human design, it will fail, but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them."

Gamaliel's wisdom has been noted throughout all of Christian history. His advise serves the purpose of assuring believers that the Apostles' plan and undertaking were from God. His caution is good advise to those who would rush in and assert the truth of one conviction over another. "Be patient. Allow time, and God's hand, to reveal that which is Truth."

Patience is a trait hard to come by. We rush to conclusions; we act on our hunches; we have an opinion about everything. Convinced that we know God's intentions, we make declarations and pronounce judgments. Those inclined to such behaviors may think they are defending God's honor, or being strong in service to God. I sometimes find myself catching glimpses of self-affirmation in their actions. It may not be God whom they are supporting, but a belief system weighed down with fear or weak reasoning. It takes a strong and confident faith to be patient. It is only when we are firmly rooted in God that we can trust God's will to be done, regardless of how insistent we are that will be done as we would will it.

It is God's plan and undertaking which we long to see unfold. Sometimes, like Gamaliel, the best thing we can do is be patient. Our greatest contribution is to wait and see what God has in store. We need not be quick to judge, in a rush to act. The in-breaking of God's Kingdom is not dependent upon us. It is a gift which comes to us, and to all of creation.

Pastor Chris