Journey Day 297

I decided to start reading through Acts to get a better understanding of the work of the Holy Spirit, as well as the beginnings of the church. I was reading in chapter 5 and verse 41 jumped off the page at me! "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name." A little bit of background... the apostles had been arrested and brought before the Senhedrin to stand trial for preaching the name and teachings of Christ, and although the Pharisees decided to free the men, they flogged them first. So here are these men that had just experienced incredible amounts of pain for the Gospel, and are they complaining as they leave? Are they weeping? Are they discouraged? NO! Instead they are REJOICING in their suffering because they count it as a blessing! Incredible. I wrote in my bible, right next to the verse, "ahhhhh! let this be my desire God!" Their love and reverence for God must be beyond description if they can be beat within an inch of their life, and still be rejoicing! I want that love... I want that faith... and I want that trust. "To live is Christ... to die is gain"