Friday, May 06, 2022

"An Empty Sky"

Acts 1.11 The Message

“Why do you just stand there looking up at an empty sky?”

It’s a fair question. Am I guilty of spiritual loitering... observing “an empty sky,” directing my energy and focus toward activities of little significance? Do I have an upward gaze, that is the appearance of spirituality without passion in my heart and fire in my soul? Have I become a comfortable bystander, an impotent pew warmer?

So opens the book of the Acts of the Apostles. Physician and historian Luke forces the issue, asking the tough, penetrating, hard-hitting question: “Why do you just stand there looking up at an empty sky?” Eugene Peterson elaborates with his Introduction to Acts in “The Message” Bible:

“…we could easily become enthusiastic spectators, and then let it go at that - become admirers of Jesus, generous with our oh’s and ah’s, and in our better moments inspired to imitate him.” 
“It is Luke’s task to prevent that, to prevent us from becoming mere spectators to Jesus, fans of the Message.”

Jesus Christ gave me everything I need to perform the will of God and be productive in the world. I have no time for star-gazing. I cannot “just stand there looking up at an empty sky.”

I must not become a mere “admirer” or even an enthusiastic “fan” of Jesus. That is not who I was created or called to be. I am much more than that. My ‘who-I-am-ness’ is defined by the Word of God...
  • I am a member of the body of Christ (1 Corinthians 12.27)
  • I have the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 1.16)
  • I carry in myself the word of Christ (Colossians 3.16)
  • The Spirit of Christ lives in me (Romans 8.9-10)
  • I am called to reach the world with the message of Christ (Matthew 28.18-20)
  • I will inherit the Kingdom of Christ (Ephesians 5.5)
There is no good answer to Luke's question: “Why do you just stand there looking up at an empty sky?”

3 comments:

JT said...

I enjoyed this post. I pray I do not just stand and look at an empty sky. May God Bless You.

davescriven said...

Thank you JT for your comment.

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