And they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and the fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles.
Acts 2:42-43 ESV
Sometimes I think we get too caught up in the right program and all our well-intentioned attempts to make church palatable to the unbeliever and the untaught. We try to do it ourselves, and He just lets us try. Notice the apparent cause and effect here in Acts 2. The people devoted themselves to the Word, to each other, the remembrance of the Lord and His work, and to “the prayers.” We don’t know if they had musicians, or ushers, or childcare, or a social media presence. We do know they had a supernatural awe of the Presence of God, and that signs and wonders were done in their midst.
The words that catch my attention here are, “they devoted themselves.” The King James says, “they continued steadfastly.” The sense is that they paid close attention to these things, and they kept at it with fixed determination. When we head for church today, to what will we devote ourselves? I suggest that if we make the word, the people, the Lord’s atoning work, and persistent prayer our focus, we might just experience His Presence and see His power. Let’s do this!
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