“These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer, along with the women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.” – Acts 1:14 (NASB)
In this concise text from Acts, we see a snapshot of the prayer life of Christ’s disciples. The context of the verse is that the disciples were waiting. Jesus had given them the promise of the Holy Spirit, and the promise that the disciples would witness God’s power locally, regionally, and globally (1:8). But the Holy Spirit had not come yet, as it would in Acts 2. So they waited, and while they waited they prayed. John Calvin has some good insights on this verse. He says:
“Here He showeth that they did diligently look for the coming of the Holy Spirit. For this was the cause of their prayer, that Christ would send His Spirit, as He had promised. Whereupon we may gather that this is the true faith which stirreth us up to call upon God. For the security of faith doth much differ from sluggishness. Neither doth God, therefore, assure us of this grace, that our minds may straightaway become careless, but that He may rather sharpen our desire to pray. Neither is prayer any sign of doubting, but rather a testimony of our (sure hope and) confidence, because we ask those things at the Lord’s hands which we know He hath promised. So it becometh us also (after their example) to be instant in prayer, and to beg at the Lord’s hands that He will increase in us His Holy Spirit: increase, (I say,) because before we can conceive any prayer we must needs have the first fruits of the Spirit.”
The disciples were of one mind and spirit as they prayed; they prayed constantly. This seems to contrast many of our own patterns of prayer, where we pray in isolation and in fear. Prayer, as Calvin implies, is an act of hope and confidence, an act of expectation to see God’s promises realized. As we wait for these promises, may we take our lead form the disciples. May we join with others, and not pray in isolation. May we pray constantly, and not as an afterthought. May we pray with confidence and hope, and not in desperation. And may God be glorified as we wait, as we witness, and as we hope.
This Sunday, The Table is gathering for worship. Starting at 5:30pm at the basement of the Fairhaven Library, we’ll have a shared meal together. Feel free to bring a favorite dish to share. After the meal we’ll conclude our 5 week teaching series on the first seen of Acts. The text this week is Acts 2:42-47, if you want to read ahead. You can be asking yourself, “What is church?” Feel free to bring a friend.
