Now, Lord, look on their threats, and grant to Your
servants that with all boldness they may speak Your word, - Acts 4.29
After the disciples told the Jewish officials that they
could not shut up about Jesus the officials found themselves in quite a fix.
Peter and John really had not broken any laws and they had he support of the people
because God was being glorified. They didn't know what to do so they had to
release them.
When they met with the others they prayed together. They knew
that they were going to be opposed by both the religious and the political
leaders. They knew they were not up to the task alone.
So they did the only thing they knew to do - they prayed. And
what did they pray for? They prayed for boldness as they spoke the word of God. This
boldness means they prayed for clarity of thought, for the right words to say, and
the courage to say them.
And the wonderful thing is we read a couple of verses later
that they proclaimed the word with boldness.
It appears to me that these men had the same fears and
problems proclaiming the word of God that we do. However, instead of letting
those fears control them they did what we need to do. They asked God for
boldness to achieve the task, they acted by faith, and God gave them that
boldness.
Oh that we would follow their example, proclaim our faith,
and let God give us the boldness to do it.
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