Acts 4-6

Courage.

God through Peter and John heal a man who has been lame for 40 years.  The miracle provides a time for Peter and John to preach to the people at the temple.  Jewish leaders are not pleased and have these two disciples arrested.  Once released they return to the believers and we are given the content of their prayer.  They pray for boldness and courage to continue the ministry of preaching and teaching about Jesus.  They pray that miracles will continue to happen so that others may be led to Jesus.  What they didn’t pray for was for God to change the situation.  They didn’t pray for ease or comfort.  They didn’t ask God to make things better.  They prayed that God would increase their boldness as they dedicated themselves to God’s will.  This is our prayer as well.  We pray for courage.  We pray for God’s will to be done through us even though such might result in discomfort and rejection.  We do not live in fear but seek God’s will and purpose to be lived out through us.  So let’s pray for courage.  Let’s pray for God to empower us to boldly live for him.  Let’s be thankful that we are his disciples.