Acts – Hineni

This is week two of the Acts study and our last time together was a whirlwind of 6 chapters. There were persecutions, long sermons, amazing miracles and conversions that shook the future of the church. It was a pretty action packed passage of scripture. We ended our time last night talking about the “ernest prayer” of the followers as they were seeking God’s move for Peter who was hanging from chains in Herod Agrippa’s dungeon. I find it funny that they’re kind of praying has specific attributes: great intensity, ongoing and continuous, directed with absolute trust that God could hear them, specific towards the need they say, and communally, and yet, once Peter ends up released and knocking at their door they can’t believe it.I wonder if there “problem” was a lack of faith or was it they were going after God and praying with such intensity that the answer was actually an interruption in their praying? I kind of want to take the second option. These followers of Jesus were so tuned into and engaged in this act of intercession that as the answer came they couldn’t just leave that prayer behind! I asked the question last night wondering when was the last time we, as followers of Jesus living in the 21st century, prayed like that? I realize that it can come off a little overwhelming and maybe even like a guilty plug, but that’s certainly not my intention. The prayer that those followers were lifting up on Peter’s behalf wasn’t a guilt laden prayer! They weren’t praying for God’s move because of a negative vibe or because they were wanted to make God happy. They prayed that way because they believed that God was worth their time!
A couple chapters prior to this event, we have Saul’s conversion – which is an incredible event. Inserted into Saul’s story is the blip on the radar known as Ananias – the guy chosen to lead Saul to conversion. Ananias is minding his own business when God shows up. I think Ananias’ response is the trigger for Saul’s healing and for understanding the prayer of the believers later on in the book. The vision, the interaction with the voice of God, didn’t surprise Ananias at all. In fact when Ananias hears God’s voice his response is the simple phrase – “here I am”.
This phrase has a history – it’s the answer Abram gave to God at both his calling to leave UR and “go to a land that I will show you” and it’s the response that Abram gives when God calls him to sacrifice his son! It’s the response Moses gives to the burning bush and what Joshua tells to the Warrior Angel prior to the conquest of Canaan. The phrase is often stated as “Here I Am” but that misses the strength of the word. “Whatever it is you are calling me to do or be I am willing to do and be – Here I am.” It’s a phrase of trust. It’s a phrase of the utmost willingness to lay it down and follow. It’s a phrase of relationship!