God's Spirit In The Ordinary

The Book of Acts is commonly and fondly referred to as of The Acts of the Apostles or the Acts of the Holy Spirit. For the first time ever, I was shown a truth that never really bothered me nor did I give it any serious thought really. I too would refer to the Acts in both ways but never had I seen that the works of the Apostles could be synonymous with the works of the Spirit. In other words, they were one and the same, so that the actions and works of the Apostles, what those disciples did, were the same as the Holy Spirit.

Having this put into my understanding, I was led to the first recorded act or action of the Apostles, after the Ascension of their Master. This is what I now share with you as recorded in the Book of Acts 1: 12 - 26.

The risen Jesus had proven to them, with many convincing proofs, that He had risen and they all witnessed His Ascension, after spending some time with Him. Now these disciples and believers, a group numbering about one hundred and twenty, had come together under the directorship of Peter, to choose someone from among them to take the place of leadership left void after Judas had left.

We will now study the process adopted by the Apostles under the leadership of Peter. For me, it was easy to see the works or acts of the Apostles in this, but where were the works or acts of the Spirit?

Their Proposal – These followers of God proposed two men, Barsabbas known as Justus and Matthias. They were choosing a person who would become, a witness with us in his resurrection.

Their Prayer – The Apostles then prayed to The Lord, who knew everyone’s heart, to show them which of the two to choose. Listen to their prayer in Acts 1: 24 - 25. Then they prayed, Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.

Their Pick - After that prayer, the apostles cast lots and since the lot fell on Matthias, he was picked as the one to serve with the others in this high calling and honour.

Now this got me at first, but then I was led to see the simple fact of the oneness of Apostles and Holy Spirit.

Peter was following prophecy, for it was written, May his days be few; may another take his place of leadership. This is recorded in Psalm 109: 8. The pronoun ‘his’, refers to the betrayer of the Son of God.

Under the leadership of Peter, the Apostles are moved to fulfil this word of prophecy, so they set about this task, this work, in a manner that can really throw one. We like to think that prayer comes first and it does, but often our understanding of prayer is false as we have already seen in earlier devotions.

Here then is the reasoning. If the Spirit of God is working in Peter and the others, is it not true then, that the very act of Proposing the two, is also of the Spirit? If that is so, then it is easy to see the act of Prayer as also of the Spirit and the act of the Pick as of the Spirit. The order mattered not then, for that one act, made up of three steps was all in and of the Spirit. In other words, the Proposal, Prayer and Pick were one.

Let’s see it in the very ordinary. You are given a loaf of bread, a pound of cheese, and chicken slices to make a sandwich. Out of the whole loaf, you choose two slices and put the cheese, then the chicken, then the lettuce. In this case, does it matter whether the lettuce went on first, or the chicken? Does it really matter whether the lettuce went on before the cheese? Think about it. They are all one sandwich, but for logical reasons, one is placed before the other, without the slightest thought of making one better, or more important than the other. The place given to any one ingredient, does not in any way affect the sandwich for better or worse. It is still a nutritious and tasty sandwich that fills the need brought on by hunger.

Having said all that, all that I am really saying is that the positioning of prayer does not make this Act, not one of the Holy Spirit. I am learning, in this case, that Proposal, Prayer and Pick are, ALL of God and not of man. Maybe, if we would see God in the ordinary as well as the extra-ordinary, the natural as well as the supernatural, the normal as well as the abnormal, the earthly as well as the heavenly, then we would see more of the Workings of The Holy Spirit in the ordinary acts and workings of the servants of God.

Lord, save me from the eyes that so look up to heaven and pray and wish for marvellous signs and wonders, in the spectacular and supernatural that I miss the ordinary works through which Your Holy Spirit also comes to us. Amen!