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| God speaks and the Holy Spirit comes to Jesus after he was baptized. |
“But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit
comes on you and you will be my witnesses
in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria,
and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NIV)
Several years ago, a man at our former church used this verse as a way to instill interest in missions in our youth. He equated Jerusalem to our city, our neighborhood, or our part of town. He likened Judea and Samaria to our state or our region. He explained the phrase, ‘to the ends of the earth.’ as the work done worldwide.
Recently, as I prepared to work on this blog entry, I paused at the phrase, in all Judea and Samaria. “In Samaria?” I thought. That’s the region Jesus and all the Jews tried to bypass in their travels. The Jewish people believed they were the ‘chosen ones of God.’ Yes, they were and still are. But in Biblical times, they acted haughty about it. They considered the Samaritans inferior because some of ‘their’ people intermarried with inhabitants of that region.
The first Century Christians received the promised Holy Spirit at Pentecost. Because of this they were able to carry the message of God to all they met. From the world they experienced persecution. Because they had the Helper promised by Jesus Christ, their numbers grew.
*Is there a Samaria in our lives?
*Is there something we don’t believe we can do for the LORD?
*Is it something we don’t feel equipped to do?
*Or is it something that scares us when we think about it?
I believe, if we were honest, we would all say, “Yes.” I learned we can trust God’s Holy Spirit to lead us through these feelings of fear into a place where we can work for Him and help enlarge His Kingdom.
Dear Lord: We look to You for guidance. We lean on You for strength. Please help us as we decide on how to approach our personal Samaria, whether physical, mental or emotional. In the name of Jesus, we pray. AMEN
Oh, yes, I'm often fearful that I am unable to do as God asks of me. I fear the challenge will be too far away from my comfort zone. So I'm always seeking His forgiveness, too.
ReplyDeleteI am learning to just love the Holy Spirit more and more all the time. What a huge difference it's made in my own life and journey, learning to know His voice.
ReplyDeleteI love Him.
Wow. Perfect timing for my life. The Lord had been dealing with me to teach the little kids church, and I'd resisted. I guess that was my Samaria. I love kids, but felt I hadn't the extra time to prepare lessons. When I finally relented, OH, the JOY! I had more fun than the kids did!
ReplyDeleteEileen:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your thoughts.
You aren't alone in this fearfulness. And the seeking His forgiveness. All of us have to seek his forgiveness when we feel we have missed the mark or sinned by not doing as He asks us.
Rhonda:
ReplyDeleteThank you for your beautiful comment. As we grow in the Lord we want to more in love with His Holy Spirit. I can see it in your writing.
Jeanette:
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing your thought with us. God works in mysterious ways. I once volunteered to teach a teen Sunday School class. The CE director, a friend of mine at first said she didn't think I could handle it. I broke down and cried because I had prayed about it. She realized why I was so visibly upset. She let me alternate Sundays with one of the men in the church, his work schedule was one where he had to work every other Sunday. I finally taught the class full time. But it eventually, a few years later, became too much for me. But God allowed me to try.
Good questions! Thank you for the food for thought. :)
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Karen
Karen:
ReplyDeleteYou're welcome. I have a friend who told me I always made people think. She was talking about the teens I was teaching in Sunday School. The problem was, they didn't want to think. So, I appreciate comments like yours.