Psalm 134
"Oh, praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord, you who serve at night in the house of the Lord." I've heard and read and even sung this song, but I never realized it was about the night watchmen for the Temple. I'm sure "night watchman" was not at the top of the job list for most of the Temple workers. This psalm exhorts them to do their work as an act of worship and praise. Many jobs in the church are not readily visible for public praise, and because of that perhaps they present an opportunity for the purest kind of service.
Surely God, who made heaven and earth, sees our efforts and will bless us.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2di1Qmf3qPQ
Acts 14:8-20
The account of Paul and Barnabas almost reads like an action novel! In Lystra, Paul realized that a crippled man had faith to be healed and so he shouted to him to "Stand up!" With that the man jumped to his feet and started walking.
The people of course were amazed, but instead of listening to Paul's message of the Good News of Jesus, they assumed that Paul and Barnabas were gods in human form and they set out to sacrifice to them and worship them. Paul and Barnabas strongly emphasized that they were mere men and that the Living God had Good News for them.
About that time the trusty Jewish leaders came on the scene to sway the crowds away from the true message. The fickle crowd then stoned Paul and dragged him out of town for dead. However, he was not dead but he and Barnabas proceeded on to minister in other places.
I couldn't help but think how difficult it would be to continue on witnessing after being stoned. And that led me to think of those believers in other places today who are paying a high price for their stand for Christ. The Islamic extremists have certainly persecuted Christian believers in the Middle East and Northern Africa. Even this week we've heard of the beheading of Egyptian Christians at the hands of ISIS soldiers. We should pray for them! Actually, we should pray for the perpetrators AND the victims.
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