Thursday, March 31, 2022
Prayer for Week 5
Today, O God of all days, give me an
experience of your heart. Draw me deep into your very being, into the core of
your love for me, others, and the world. Give me a glimpse of others the way
you see others: loving them, forgiving them, and delighting in them. Help me to
discern how I too might be a useful vessel of your love in the world. Amen.
Acts 6:1-7
Now during those days, when the disciples
were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews
because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.
And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said,
“It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on
tables. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good
standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task,
while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the
word.” What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a
man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus,
Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch. They had these
men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of God continued to spread; the
number of the disciples increased greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the
priests became obedient to the faith.
Who
is invited into leadership in the early church?
What
are the results of this new ministry?