ACTS 12: Draw up the timeline of your life
We’re well into this journey through the Book of Acts and it’s proving to be an exciting adventure full of twists and turns. We’re reading a chapter a day and I’m providing a link to the chapter in the NIV(UK) version, but you can of course read the chapter in whatever version you like. I’ve been sharing some short reflections, but the important part is the last part: ACTION. How have you been getting on with the short daily challenges so far?
Are you up for today’s challenge?
Then let’s continue!
READ: Acts 12
REFLECTION: It was about this time…
I’ve never really paid attention to phrases like that. I’ve always read the Book of Acts as a storybook of exciting adventures that are all packed into a relatively short space of time. I wondered why miraculous events such as these aren’t happening every day in my world as they were back then.
Until last night, that is, when someone asked me what time period the Book of Acts covers. And so I found this Acts Bible Timeline – and I was amazed! Over 30 years of action packed into one book! So this is the edited highlights then, it has to be. These are the notable bits – a lot of normal living went on in between.
There’s three years between the stoning of Stephen and Saul’s conversion to the Christian faith. I never had any sense of that before. And there’s another three years between that and the passage we read today.
This scene of Peter knocking at the door and not being let in because no one believes it is him is pretty comical to an outside observer. Here’s a man having experienced a huge miracle and unable to share it because their fear and doubt and suspicion and scepticism stop them from unlocking the door. Except that there’s a truth here for all of us – how much are we missing out on because we block out that which we don’t understand, because we’re suspicious of the supernatural, because we’re sceptical of divine intervention? How often do we shut the door (figuratively) of someone trying to explain to us the amazing thing that has just happened to them?
When Barnabas and Saul had finished their mission, they returned from Jerusalem, taking with them John, also called Mark.
It’s another five years before Barnabus is sent to Antioch with Saul, eight years after Saul’s conversion and a whole twelve years after Jesus was taken back into heaven. A lot can happen in twelve years. A person can change a lot in twelve years. Twelve years on and these men are still faithfully spreading the good news about Jesus. Barnabus and Saul have been serving God in Antioch (where the believers where first called Christians) and Jerusalem and now it is time for them to move on.
ACTION: Draw up the timeline of your life
Imagine the writer of the Book of Acts has been tasked with writing about your life. Help him out by looking back and picking out the significant bits – important life events, special moments of spiritual connection, any miracles along the way. Two sides of A4 is what he wants to work from – no more – so it shouldn’t take more than about 15 minutes.
Then take time to thank God for your journey so far and trust Him for what is to come.
