A Long Gaze into Glory

May 24, 2011
But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, gazed steadily into heaven
and saw the glory of God, and he saw Jesus standing in the place of
honor at God's right hand.
-- Acts 7:55 nlt

THOUGHT:
Stephen had been chosen to serve widows because he was full of
the Spirit. Stephen had spoken the truth of Jesus in the face of
great hostility by the power of the Spirit. Stephen had warned
those who opposed his words to not resist the Spirit like their
ancestors before them. And now, when the enemies of truth had
stoned the life out of Stephen's body, we are told an amazing
truth: the same Holy Spirit who had shaped Stephen's life in this
world was now letting him see over the horizon of history and see
the Lord Jesus in glory. How important is the Holy Spirit? For
Stephen, the Holy Spirit influenced, qualified, empowered, and
brought home to glory this man of God! May the Spirit do the same
in each of us!

PRAYER:
O Father, be at work within me through your Holy Spirit. I pray
in Jesus' name. Amen.