Bible Reading: Acts 7:51-60
The message of the deacon, Stephen, found in Acts 7 is powerful and straightforward. He reminds the Jewish people of their fathers and how they wandered in the wilderness because of disobedience, and then reminds them that they as well were a disobedient people. He called them stiffnecked (stubborn) and uncircumcised in heart and ears. Their heart and ears were covered with old Jewish traditions and ritualism. As a result, they resisted the Holy Spirit’s conviction and the call to salvation.
I read an interesting story that may explain why Jews and Gentiles both resisted the Holy Spirit.
“For many years Mr. & Mrs. Emmanuel O. Lago were missionaries in Palestine. He was from the north of Ireland but when clad in a Palestinian shepherd’s garb, he could easily pass for an Arabian shepherd.
“One day while visiting the area of Beersheba, Mr. Lago encountered some shepherds sitting near the roadside while their sheep grazed on the stony hillside. ‘How do you call your sheep?’ he asked.
“In a low voice, a shepherd gave a call to his sheep and the missionary repeated the call quite accurately. Then Mr. Lago borrowed the cloak and staff of the shepherd. Walking among the grazing sheep, he called the sheep repeatedly, but not one sheep even lifted its head from grazing.
“Then the ‘true’ shepherd without cloak or staff gave the same call as the missionary. What a difference! Immediately every sheep lifted its head and came trotting to the shepherd.”
It is said that only a sick sheep will fail to respond to the wooing of the shepherd. The moral is only the spiritually sick will fail to heed the wooing of the Holy Spirit and resist His call.
What to do:
✞ Heed today to the conviction of the Holy Spirit.
✞ Stay sensitive to the conviction and calling of the Spirit. **This is done in part by living a pure, Godly life and staying in the Word and in prayer.
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