Rain, Poetry, God, and A Car Crash=A Great Day?

So let's just say that today was one of those days. You know, when you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, there is nothing good to eat for breakfast, you get in an argument with your sister, you are loaded with homework, and to top it all off you get in a car crash with a pretty fine to add to it! Yep, not what I would call fun.


OK, that was a pretty adequate description of my day. I felt like most of the day was filled with my own little "crashes"--bad attitudes, a lack of self-confidence, and my wounded pride. I started my day off with Jesus, just like normal. I read my Bible, I talked to Him, and even went to church! So, where was God in the midst of my disasters?


I bet that's what the Apostles said in Acts 5. They had just started a brand new church and had been performing many amazing things for God. They were sold out for Christ and living like it. But then the Sadducees and Pharasees come along and order the Apostles to stop teaching the very name of Jesus Christ (Acts 5:28). The Apostles however chose to obey God rather than men and began teaching in the name of Jesus. At this, the religous leaders threw them in jail and had them severely flogged. At last, the Apostles were released (read Acts 5 for the whole story). But they left rejoicing. You heard me right, rejoicing. Acts 5:41-42 say, "The apostles left the Sanhedrin, rejoicing because they had been counted worthy of suffering disgrace for the Name. Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Christ."


That puts my day in perspective a little better, don't you think? I mean, these men were genuinely sold out to Christ. They didn't question whether Jesus was with them or not, they simply obeyed Him and rejoiced that they were worthy of suffering. They were ridiculed, embarrassed, beaten up, and lost everything they possessed. I only woke up on the wrong side of the bed, had to do some poetry homework, got soaked in the rain, and wrecked the car (I realize that last one is definitely a big deal, but compared to being brutally whipped, it doesn't sound as bad!). And in the midst of my day, I asked God, "Where are you? Hello!!! Couldn't you have given me like fair warning when that car started to break??" I should just be rejoicing that God delivered me from any bodily injury and that He has given me 1,440 minutes to worship in His presence no matter what is going on around me. That's what the Apostles did and that's what I am going to strive to do.