Speaker: Ben Sigman

Theme:  Only God

Weekend Music links on iTunes: Hosanna - Paul Baloche, More Than Anything - Hillsong, Happy Day - Tim Hughes, How He Loves - David Crowder

Read:  Exodus 5:1-3

Think:  I’m a Star Trek fan.  So, when I hear the word ‘boldly’, my first thought is of the most famous split infinitive in history: “to boldly go where no one man has gone before.”  Not very spiritual of me, I guess.  When Pastor Ben is reading Acts 4:31, instead of reflecting on what it means to speak the word of God boldly, I’m thinking about the five-year mission of the Starship Enterprise.  Odd as it may seem, thinking about Captain Kirk and crew helps me understand something about the boldness of the apostles referenced in Acts 4.

One characteristic of what Pastor Ben called ‘Divine Boldness’ is a confidence in the rightness, the essential truth, of one’s belief.  The rightness of the peaceful exploration carried out by the Enterprise may pale in significance with the rightness of speaking God’s word, but there is a similarity in the attendant boldness.  Like Moses before them, the apostles knew – not hoped, or believed, but knew – that they were speaking God’s thoughts.  This confidence was palpable, and attracted throngs to hear the message. 

There is more to the boldness of Captain Kirk or Moses or Peter than just confidence in truth.  Such a confidence can be maintained quietly, turned inward selfishly.  Divine Boldness, on the other hand is externally focused.  The Enterprise went; Moses approached Pharaoh; the apostles preached to thousands.  

Both of these aspects of Divine Boldness are challenging.  Most of the time, our confidence in God is strong, but occasional doubts arise.  We try to keep our focus outward, but don’t manage it as well as we would like.  What we need to remember is that it isn’t only the message that is given by God.  As we allow, God increases our confidence in Him, and God shifts our focus away from ourselves.  The boldness comes from God, too.  

Do:   As a small bold step, smile and say ‘Hello’ to a stranger today.  (‘Live and long and prosper’ is an acceptable substitute for ‘Hello’.) 

Pray:   Lord, I’m no hero.  Most of the time when I think of confidence, I think of self-confidence, not God-confidence.  I like other people, but think of myself more.  For any Divine Boldness to be seen in me, it will have to come from you.  As of now, I’m open to it, God.  Amen.  

The eDevotional is written each week by a team of volunteers from Timberlake Church.

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