Ephesians1:18
having the eyes of your hearts enlightened, that you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance in the saints…
Reflections: ” the eyes of your heart”, that caught me. It reminds me of the way that children will sometimes switch language around. I’ll think to myself, “yes, that’s a great, clear way to put it”. When a friends son was three he used to call his hands “his two fives”. During a discussion about a painting a six year old said “very far before” instead of “a long time ago”. It also makes me think of the way that babies will drink you in with their eyes, absorbing everything about you.
I think also of these letters that Paul is writing. How long they must have taken to get to their destination. I have become so used to instant letters. I love the fact that I can go back and change what I want to say and correct the spelling so easily. But, I do miss the feel of a written letter. There is something special about seeing someone’s hand writing.
Prayer: Help me to keep the eyes of my heart open, not clouded by the “stuff” of the day.
Acts 28: 2
And the natives showed us unusual kindness, for they kindled a fire and welcomed us all, because it had begun to rain and was cold.
Reflection: This reminds me of a time when we were sailing in Nova Scotia. Bad weather was coming and a fishing boat came alongside us and asked if we wanted to follow them into port. It was a lovely surprise, they wanted to be sure we had a safe place to anchor. When we left the United States we didn’t make the usual trip directly to Halifax. We took the back roads so to speak and worked our way along the coastline where most cruising boats didn’t travel because of lack of time. We didn’t have much money but we did have time. We met the everyday people who fished and worked along the shore. They welcomed us into their homes for dinner. One time we were invited onto a fishing boat that was going out that night. They were fishing for herring. You follow the fish so it wasn’t always an easy ride. They were like children on Christmas morning when the nets came up filled with shiny herring. Big, joyful smiles. Breakfast that morning was Cod just caught from the sea. Best I’ve ever had.
Prayer:Help me to be kind, to give that extra minute.
ACTS 27:3
The next day we put in at Sidon; and Julius[the centurion] treated Paul kindly, and gave him leave to go to his friends and be cared for.
Reflection: This whole chapter reverberated with me. Having lived and sailed on a 34ft wooden boat the idea of going through 14 days of boat breaking weather makes me close my eyes and pause. We went through some rough weather but no longer than 12 hours and that was enough, thank you. We were in it together of our free will, not as a prisoner. I kept coming back to the centurion, he is a pivotal person throughout this chapter. He has a sense of humanity and compassion. He lets Paul leave on his word that he’ll return to the boat(I’ll have to look into that). Everything depends on his believing in Paul. Even when he doesn’t listen to Paul about the weather. In verse 11 it says he pays more attention to what the captain and the owner of the ship say than Paul . Which leads me to think that he was weighing Paul’s words but had to give over to the Captain and owner. Paul was a prisoner and you have the owner on board…. Chain of command so to speak. It is because of the centurion that they all make it safely to shore, the soldiers wanted to kill the prisoners rather than risk their escaping, but he keeps them from doing any harm. Meanwhile the boat is breaking up in the surf and these guys are worrying about prisoners escaping….. too much. I’d like to know more about the centurion, he seems a steady, natural leader.
prayer:Help me to weigh the words of others with wisdom.
ACTS 26:29
And Paul said, “Whether short or long, [ Aggripa had said to Paul," In a short time do you think to make me a Christian!"] I would to God that not only you but also all that hear me this day might become such as I am – except for these chains.
Reflection: I think about how it must have been to be imprisoned wearing chains. Most likely not polished to smoothness. So the chains not only restricted movement but must have rubbed places on the skin raw. Yet he stays steady and focused. Never ranting or raving but as he said in verse 24 speaking the “sober truth”.
Prayer: I think I’ve written this one before. I don’t know where this prayer comes from but I often use it. The phrase “sober truth” makes me think of it.
“May it be the real I who speaks, may it be the real you who listens.”
ACTS 25:27
For it seems to me unreasonable, in sending a prisoner, not to indicate the charges against him.
reflection:Despite all that is going on around him Paul maintains a steadiness. He seems very grounded. Among all the chaotic thinking he continues to ask the obvious questions and not get agitated. It has been so tempting to read books and BibleGateway.com that would interpret ACTS but I’m waiting until I’m done.
Prayer: Help me to remember to give Thanks for simple blessings.
ACTS 24:16
So I always take pains to have a clear conscience towards God and towards men.
Reflection: This verse rose to the surface for me. It has a serene simplicity to it.
I remember a description of all the thoughts that trip over each other in your mind as “monkey mind”. It’s a good visual.
Prayer: Help me to follow Paul’s lead and take pains to have a clear conscience towards God and men.
ACTS 23:3
Then Paul said to him, “God shall strike you, you whitewashed wall! Are you sitting to judge me according to the law, and yet contrary to the law you order me to be struck?
Reflection: “whitewashed wall!”. I’ve never heard that description before. Paul called the high priest that with such passion, as if that was one of the worst things to say of someone. This calls for some research.
Prayer: A prayer of thanks for the encouragement I’ve received to continue learning.
ACTS 22:2
And when they heard that he addressed them in the Hebrew language, they were the more quiet….
Reflection: I am so accustomed to living in an area where only one language is spoken. I’ve never spent a long amount of time in a country where my language was the secondary one. The closest experience I had was visiting Montreal for a couple of days where French was spoken.
Paul experiences the full spectrum, once the persecutor, now the persecuted.
I am using the Revised Standard Version of the Bible. I just read the preface to it and found that it had been revised in 1952 the year I was born. So now I will be delving into the different translations of verses as I check them out on BibleGateway.com. I’ve seen it before but haven’t spent much time on the site. I’ve been reading “The Year of Living Biblically” by A.J. Jacobs. He makes me think and makes me laugh.
“This year I’ve tried to worship alone and find meaning alone. The solitary approach has its advantages-I like trying to figure it out myself. I like reading the holy words unfiltered by layers of interpretation. But going alone also has limits, and big ones. I miss out on the feeling of belonging, which is a key part of religion.” page 214
I’ve enjoyed reading this book. I’m almost done. I know I could look him up on Youtube but I don’t want to hear his speaking voice until I finish the book. In the same way that I don’t want to do research on a verse until I’ve absorbed first.
prayer: Help me to not be concerned so much if people understand me. Help me to have the patience to try and understand them.
20:40
“And when he had given him leave, Paul, standing on the steps motioned with his hand to the people; and when there was a great hush, he spoke to them in the Hebrew language”
Reflection: Moments before the same crowd had wanted to kill him. They were so violent that Paul had to be carried above them by the soldiers. There is something about his presence that when he motions with his hand they stop. The phrase ” And when there was a great hush” has a sense of poetry, of a living moment, of expectation. In the the New International Version the same part is translated as “and when they were all silent”. That doesn’t have the same impact for me. Hush has more of an expectant feel to it where silent has more of a passive feel. It makes me realize what a responsibility an author has when they do a translation of any work. The subtle shades of meaning.
Prayer: A prayer of gratitude, my daughter is home for awhile and it is so good to see her.
Acts 20:29
I know that after my departure that fierce wolfs will come in among you, not sparing the flock
reflection: Such strong imagery. Such a clear warning. As I read ACTS I keep thinking about the people who are speaking. The ones who are giving a message, the ones who can calm a crowd. I wish I could hear their voices. The tone and depth. It is such a special feeling when another persons’ voice cuts through the static and gets to my core.
Prayer: Help me to keep a still place in my mind so that I can hear
