Acts 7:55-60 (NRSV)
Read Acts 7:55-60 on biblegateway.com
Verse 55But filled with the Holy Spirit, he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. Verse 56"Look," he said, "I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!" Verse 57But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. Verse 58Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. Verse 59While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Verse 60Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died.
Devotion
As the martyr, Stephen, is being stoned to death, he prays for grace even for those who rejected Jesus and are attacking him.
In our world of today it would also be easy to respond with hatred or cruelty to those who would attack our beliefs or our pride in person or through social media. But as followers of Christ, we are called, even in conflicted times, to respond as Jesus Christ would respond, with courage, grace, and love for our neighbor.
The story of Stephen reminds us all that faith isn’t just about believing in our Creator God and our Teacher Jesus. It is about how we embody our faith—how we continue to show love for one another, even in times of division and judgment. May God give us the courage to be bold in our response to injustices and give us strength to forgive and love those who throw stones.
Prayer
O God who gave us voice, be present in us as we move throughout our world. Give us courage to speak up with forgiveness and love for all of God’s people. Amen.
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