June 20: Of Ferocious Commitment Instead of Other Gods

1 Kings 22:1-53

Acts 13:16-41

Psalm 138:1-8

Proverbs 17:17-18

   Standing up, Paul motioned with his hand and said: "Fellow Israelites and you Gentiles who worship God, listen to me!" - Acts 13:16 

I've started using the Matthew Henry Commentary on the Bible, to try and understand what is going on.  A side note, I didn't realize it had been written in 1706.  The author has an interesting discussion about our New Testament reading from Acts today.  In the reading, Paul, a visitor to Antioch, has been invited to preach the sermon following a reading of the law.  The commentary describes his response thus: 

"He gladly embraced the opportunity given him to preach Christ to his countrymen the Jews.  He did not object to them that he was a stranger, and that it was none of his business; nor object to himself, that he might get ill-will by preaching Christ among the Jews; but stood up, as one prepared and determined to speak.."

Paul then proceeded to give powerful testimony, tying the history of the Jews to the crucifixion, and death of Jesus, which may well have been known as fact to the synagogue, and then declaring what, to the Pharisees, was the troubling heresy of Jesus's resurrection.  Paul knew, throughout his being, what he was talking about.  Paul motioned with his hand.  He demanded: "Listen to me!"

How different from how I have responded to such opportunities.  I have been timid, reluctant, afraid to cause offense.  I have been worried about my standing, about the possibility of being found lacking, unacceptable.  I have feared being rejected by friends, branded a fanatic or delusional.  

Father, forgive me for being lukewarm, for putting other gods - the gods of acceptance, of social standing, of friendship - before you.  In place of my timidity, give me a ferocious commitment based on the knowledge of, and faith in, Jesus and what He has done for me, for all of us.