Tongues of Fire
The dramatic change in the lives of people touched by the power and presence of God through the early church proved to be a nearly irresistible magnet, drawing many to believe in and follow Jesus Christ. Besides the miraculous healing of a blind beggar (Acts 3), many signs and wonders done among the people (Acts 5:12) caught the attention of those outside and those inside this young church.
It was clear to observers and participants: God was at work transforming individuals and communities through this new movement. It was also clear that many not only wanted to see what was going on but longed for such salvation, healing, and wholeness in their own lives.
Today people still look for evidence of God’s transforming presence in the church and in the world. When they find that evidence, they often turn toward it, seeking to be close to the God who is obviously at work changing lives in such dramatic ways. They are drawn because they want to be close to God, and often they seek their own transformation and salvation. The congregation that finds new people coming to be touched by that transforming presence of God.
In Acts we read of transformation that leads from sinfulness to holiness in life. The kind of transformation that leads from selfishness to sharing, from uselessness to usefulness, from sickness to health, and from death to life is the transformation many seek. This transformation is promised in the Gospels by the One who came that all might have life and have it abundantly.
When are the signs and wonders of God’s active and transforming presence most visible today? How can you and I make ourselves and the entire church more available, thus permitting those signs and wonders to occur within and through our lives? One way the early church made itself available was by always giving an unqualified yes when God invited obedience, witness, and service. Can we do as much?
—Reuben P. Job
Readings for Reflection
The early church serves as an example, having literally begun with “tongues of fire” (see Acts 2), resulting in believers who were ‘on fire’ to serve Jesus, to the end they would soon be accused of “turning the world upside down” (Acts 17:6). Oh, that our lives would be so passionately lived for Christ! The point here is that in order to passionately live in Christ, we must first have had an intimate encounter with Him. Prayer is the conduit through which we intimately connect, receiving power and purpose, to walk forward in the Spirit. It is folly to strike out in our flesh expecting Spiritual results. Let us pray into the journey before us, calling for His rushing wind and tongues of fire to ignite our passions for the work ahead. —DH
—David Hoskins, Founder & Care Guide, Sanctuary Clinics