Be Still And Know

Acts 1:8 NLT 'But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere – in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.' Like a compass needle locates due north, so prayer directs our gaze towards God and positions us for effective mission. While prayer consists of a number of distinct forms, from confession through to contemplation, it is always our voluntary response to the call of God. The disciples are about to exchange the visible presence of God in Jesus for the invisible, yet equally real, presence of the third person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit. Yet, even this gift is dependent upon obedience to Jesus’ command and a period of prayer. In an age in which we have grown accustomed to instant answers and products accessible online for next-day delivery, the process of prayer can seem somewhat antiquated. Yet, like a fine meal, prayer is the means by which we are prepared for God’s response to our prayer.