STEP #1: LECTIO / READWhen the court officers had brought the Apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, “We gave you strict orders did we not, to stop teaching in that name. Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and want to bring this man’s blood upon us.” But Peter and the Apostles said in reply, “We must obey God rather than men. The God of our ancestors raised Jesus, though you had him killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as leader and savior to grant Israel repentance and forgiveness of sins. We are witnesses of these things, as is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” When they heard this, they became infuriated and wanted to put them to death. ACTS 5:27-33 STEP #2: MEDITATIO / MEDITATEThings never quite end the way we expect. When the Pharisees wanted to put an end to Jesus’ ministry by crucifying Him, He rose three days later in what is the most pivotal moment in our world’s history. When His Apostles continued His ministry and added thousands of people to the Church on a regular basis, the Sadducees tried to stop them by threatening them, jailing them, and beating them; yet each time the Apostles stood up, brushed it off, and kept going. When asked why they refused to quit, their answer was pretty bold for people whose lives were at stake: “We must obey God rather than men” (Acts 5:29). No matter what happened, no matter how many times they were laughed at, mocked, tormented, etc., the Apostles refused to give up on God in any way, and that frustrated the council of Sadducees and Pharisees to no end. But where did this dedication and trust come from? What would compel someone to stand up for something so strongly, after everything that’s already happened to them as a result? Well, the Apostles had their own plot-twist earlier. They also never expected Jesus’ resurrection, so when it happened, it absolutely changed everything. They saw just how God changed one of the worst moments into something astoundingly beautiful, something that changed their lives forever. They saw how God He never abandons His people, how He uses every possible moment to show this. While the Apostles probably didn’t understand it on Good Friday itself, eventually they saw how He used even the worst situations to bring goodness and love in a way no one ever imagined; this is where the change started, because it gave everything a new meaning. God used every single moment as a means to show His love, and, even if the Apostles didn’t understand it, they wanted to do the same, using every moment to love God back. The same applies to us. Every moment is an opportunity to love God, even the smallest moments we disregard. And, just like the Apostles, God won’t let you down either, no matter what the situation might be. Whatever might be bothering you, stressing you out, or bringing you down, God’s not done yet. He’s not asking you to pretend that everything’s always fantastic, He’s not asking you to be happy all the time, and He’s certainly not asking you to go through life completely alone. All He’s asking is that you trust Him. He’s got this. STEP #3: ORATIO / PRAYWhat might be bothering you right now, and how can you trust God with it today? How is God bringing goodness into your life today? Are there any areas of your life where God brought unexpected goodness out of a rough situation? STEP #4: CONTEMPLATIO / CONTEMPLATE“Jesus, I trust in You” “We must obey God rather than men” “God isn’t done” FOR THE REST OF YOUR DAY.. Trust God with whatever comes up today, knowing that He's going to use it to show His love for you. LOCK SCREEN GRAPHIC  Today's prayer was prepared by Tatiana Schafer.
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