In my quiet time this morning, I asked God to lead me to what He wanted to say to me today and what I could share with you. I’ve developed this habit where I simply flip open my Bible each day, trusting that He will guide me to what He wants to say to me. This morning I opened up to Acts 2.
In this passage, the disciples had already received the Great Commission by Jesus and were waiting, as He instructed them, to receive the Helper a.k.a., The Holy Spirit. I’ve included the scripture here for you to read (NIV):
“In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs in the earth below, blood and fire and billows of smoke. The sun will be turned to darkness and the moon to blood before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.”
I admit that the passage both excites and scares me a little. Why? I’ve always viewed this passage of text as a thermometer passage. What do I mean by that? It means that when things on the earth start to heat up, God says this is what will happen next. Really amazing stuff and well, pretty frightening stuff. When I see these things begin to happen, based on the promises of God, we are nearing the Lord’s return, and that IS EXCITING!!! But my question to Him lately is, “God, how bad do things have to get before you return?” I admit that there are days where I sit down in my quiet time and just cry over the sufferings on this earth. I don’t mourn as those who have no hope. My heart is heavily burdened for those who don’t have hope, and those who are losing hope every day.
But then He gently tells me, “Read it again and keep reading.”
So I go back and read it again.
“I will pour out my spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Young men will see visions and old men will dream dreams. I will show wonders in the heaven above and signs in the earth below.”
According to Webster’s Dictionary, prophecy means: “A foretelling; prediction; a declaration of something to come.” (For more on this, check out the extended cut definition here.) The definition itself when applied to the context of the passage tells us that God never does anything without first announcing it. In this case, He tells us that He will use all people to make declarations about His return.
And because he knows our hearts, He goes on to say, in verse 34:
“I saw the Lord before me, because he is at my right hand.
I will not be shaken.
Therefore, my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices, my body will also live in Hope because you will not abandon me to the grave, nor will you let your holy one see decay.
You have made known to me the paths of life.
You fill me with joy in your presence.”
If you have placed your faith in and given your heart to Jesus, God is your right hand. Period. The right hand symbolizes sovereignty and authority. Madea said it best, yall!
Urban Dictionary defines right hand as, “a person you can count on through hard times and good times. They are there to hold you up, not bring you down. They will always support you and sometimes you might get in fights with this person because you are too close and understand each other too well. You love them like family.”
Essentially, there’s nothing to fear. Your Right Hand is in charge. Let’s challenge ourselves to live in joy, spend time in His presence daily, and be His light where He’s called us to be. Let’s give our joy away. Let’s leave hope wherever we go. Let’s love others like their eternal life depends on it. Because it does.
I love you and am praying for you today. Go get your Grit on. (cue the anthem of the day.)
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