Rachel is all about running. Anyone who knows her, knows that about her. Apparently while she runs, she looks for beauty, and when she finds it, she shares it.

Jamie is all about photography, and you might imagine she has photographed every beautiful thing in our small town from every possible angle. But guess what! Rachel shared the beauty she saw in a covered bridge, and Jamie was thrilled to see it in a way she hadn’t ever seen it before.

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I was witness to this by way of Facebook, but it reminded me of how sharing the things that inspire us can give others a new perspective.

It also reminded me of the new view I got of a phrase found in a few chapters in the book called The Acts of the Apostles. My husband and I have the privilege of teaching the 4th grade Sunday school class at our church, and each year we cover the book of Acts. I would guess it is one of the books of the Bible that I have read most often. Still, when looking at chapters 9-12 last year, I saw things in a way I had missed before.

In Acts 9:32-35, Peter was in a town called Lydda. He found a man named Aeneas, who had been paralyzed and in bed for 8 years. Verse 34 tells us, “Peter said to him, ‘Aeneas, Jesus Christ heals you; get up and make your bed!’ and immediately he got up.”

Then, Peter was called to come to Joppa, because a lady named Tabitha, described as devoted to good works and acts of charity, had become ill and died. Peter got up and went to Joppa, went to where Tabitha was, knelt down and prayed. “He turned to the body and said,’Tabitha, get up.'” (Acts 9:40). Miraculously, she sat up and was alive.

While Peter was still in Joppa, he was praying and had a vision where he was told to get up and eat foods that by Jewish law he was not allowed to eat. The message was that God makes the judgment between clean and unclean, and the application was explained to him-he was to go with the Gentile men who were looking for him. “Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.” (Acts 10:20). Peter was being sent outside his comfort zone, to share the truth about Jesus with Cornelius, a Gentile. He obeyed. “Then next day he got up and went with them,” (Acts 10:23). When he arrived at Cornelius’ house, Cornelius fell down and worshiped him. “Peter made him get up, saying, ‘Stand up; I am only a mortal.’ ” (Acts 10:26).

Fast forward a bit. King Herod was violently opposed to the church. He had James, the brother of John killed. He arrested Peter, and had him imprisoned in chains, guarded by 4 squads of soldiers. The church prayed fervently, and God sent an angel, who woke Peter and told him to “‘Get up quickly.’ ” (Acts 12:7) Peter was miraculously unshackled and was able to walk out of the prison and go tell the praying believers in person that God had answered their prayers.

So by now, you see what I was seeing. This is not to say that the words “get up” have some hidden meaning. But when they were used repeatedly, they made me think. How many times do I need to be encouraged to “get up”? Are there times I am called to speak life to others and tell them they should “get up” because of the power of Jesus? When we are paralyzed, weak, stuck in a rut; when we have given and given and now it looks like it is over; when the place we are being sent is outside our comfort zone; when we are tempted to focus our attention and worship in the wrong place; when we are in chains and in need of a miracle to set us free; God says “Get up.”

Don’t get the wrong idea here. This is not a pulling-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps thing. It’s not trying harder or being down on yourself because you haven’t tried harder. The energy and strength is God’s. Getting up is an internal response to Him, a choice to believe and allow the work He is doing. We are invited to participate in the story, but it’s up to us if we are willing.

I hope you have time for a little trip to Ethiopia.

Get up and come with me! Imagine a group of Americans, in Africa to serve. A little unsure of ourselves, a little nervous, but full of compassion and love to share. The team gets up and gets ready and heads out for the day. There is a van and a driver named Zellelem, who doesn’t speak much English. The team waits for a translator or leader to arrive and go with us, but no one comes. We wait outside by the van, wondering what to do next. This goes on for a while, and then Zellelem says, “Get in.” Imagine it being said by someone with limited English, the words short and clipped. It wasn’t hard to understand, but there was still this uncertainty. Should we go with him? Does he know where we are supposed to go? Is it safe? Eventually, we “get in” and trust that Zellelem knows. (It is his country, after all). And he does know. We go where we need to go and love on orphans and give ourselves away. This happened enough on the trip that those words were one of the souvenirs we brought home. In my family, when it’s time to go, we still say “Get in! Zellelem,” and remember that amazing experience.

Sometimes in life, we are unsure of the next step. We are waiting to be told the plan, but instead we are asked to trust that the Driver knows where we are to go and the best way to get us there. (It is His country, after all.)

I started writing this last week, and just today something else occurred to me. The getting up and the getting in are all answers to prayers. We can assume that the paralyzed man and/or his friends and family had been praying for his healing. We read that Peter prayed before he told Tabitha to get up, and certainly the people she had served so faithfully had prayed for her during her illness. Peter was praying when God told him to get up. Acts 10:2 reveals that Cornelius, the Gentile to whom Peter was sent, “…prayed constantly to God.” The church “prayed fervently to God for [Peter],” (Acts 12:5) and “many were gathered and were praying” (Acts 12:12) when Peter showed up at the door after the divine jailbreak. I know firsthand that the love shared in Ethiopia was the answer to prayers.

We can’t answer prayers; that’s God’s job. But, if we are listening and willing, we can be used in His answer. What an awesome privilege that is!

God, let us respond to Your call to “get up.” Help us to make that move toward Your power and Your will, and meet us with all we need to get to the destination You have for us. Let our “getting up” lead us to “getting in” to Your plan. Use us to be part of Your answer to someone’s prayer today! Awaken our hearts to hear You and follow You. You never fail.

“Arise, shine; for your light has come, and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.” Isaiah 60:1

Anyone who knows me well knows that I hate to-do lists. They make me feel confined. Stressed out. I’m more of a start-painting-in-the-middle-of-the-room type of person. That being said, what I don’t have written on a to-do list is always alive and well in my mind. I’m a doer, and I’m a master multi-tasker. Picture me, if you will, as a juggler with about twenty batons always in the air. I’m guessing many of you can relate.

When this busy multi-tasker comes to the account in the Bible of Martha and her sister, Mary, it always gives me pause. Take a moment to look at this short passage with me.

“Now as they were traveling along, He entered a village; and a woman named Martha welcomed Him into her home.She had a sister called Mary, who was seated at the Lord’s feet, listening to His word. But Martha was distracted with all her preparations; and she came to Him and said, ‘Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to do all the serving alone? Then tell her to help me.’ But the Lord answered and said to her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary, for Mary has chosen the good part, which shall not be taken away from her.'” (Luke 10:38-42, NASB)

When I read this, oh how my heart hears my Savior say, “Dana, Dana, you are worried and bothered about so many things; but only one thing is necessary.” How is it that my priorities can get so turned around? Why is it that I so often pursue what’s good, only to miss out on what is best? Why do I strive to serve others in my own strength instead of from the overflow of my relationship with Jesus?

Notice how Jesus didn’t even have to elaborate on what the ONE THING was. He just spoke of what Mary had chosen. She was sitting at the Lord’s feet and listening to His word. Our thirsty souls long for this. At our core, we know that this is our deepest need. Think about it for a minute – all those things we’re busy doing? They won’t last.There will always be another load of laundry, another meal to make, another room to clean, etc. Jesus says that what Mary had chosen would not be taken away from her. It would last. Time spent at our Savior’s feet is never wasted time. It is the most important thing we can do, and the result of it is something that can’t be taken from us.

In Psalms, David says something very similar.

“One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to behold the beauty of the LORD and to meditate in His temple.” (Psalm 27:4, NASB)

David knew the truth about priorities. In the middle of adverse circumstances, he was only after one thing. We could say he was after God’s heart, right?

Pause with me today, and let’s evaluate our priorities. What is our one thing? Is it our relationship with Jesus? Does the rhythm of our lives flow from what we are learning from Him? When living in His presence and learning from Him are our priorities, then the things that we do will have lasting value. 

Lord Jesus, help us to seek after only one thing – sitting at Your feet and listening to Your word. In our busy worlds, help us to maintain a heart that prioritizes You above all else. Even when storms are swirling around us and we can’t see an end to the to-do lists, give us hearts that refuse to trade in our time with you for things that are temporary. May we be people after Your heart. Amen.

-Dana