Full of the Holy Spirit, (Stephen) gazed into heaven
and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. And he said, “Behold, I see the heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God.” Acts 7:55–56
Most loving Lord Jesus, Stephen’s costly act of discipleship heralds your non-stop compassion for us. As he was being stoned for preaching the Gospel, Stephen saw you standing at the right hand of the Father. You rose for the occasion of his greatest challenge. Indeed, you are the Good Shepherd, always caring for us—when we’re aware of it and when we’re not.
After proclaiming, “It is finished,” you defeated death and ascended to the right hand of our Father. From there, you are always praying for us (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34; 1 John 2:1), ruling over the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:4-5), and are working in all things for our good (Rom. 8:28). All of your enemies are becoming your footstool, as your kingdom advances “far as the curse is found” (Heb. 10:12–13). Hallelujah, on steroids!
Jesus, forgive us for thinking you ignore us, don’t really care, or are disappointed with us. Your love is the main thing we can count on in life. This pandemic has done a number on some of us. Others of us have been struggling with hard stories long before C-19.
Holy Spirit, do the same for us as you did for Stephen. By the eye of faith, let us see “heavens opened, and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:56)—no matter if the sky is filled with foreboding, dark clouds, or is totally cloudless and Carolina blue. Just let us see Jesus, and it will be enough. So very Amen we pray, in your kind and most-powerful name.