Acts 13:1-3

OK, you've got a link so you can look at the scripture.  But I'm going to put it right here in the blog so we can look at it together.  Just three short verses with a lot of punch:

 Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers:Barnabas, Simeon called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and Saul. 2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.

What activities are part of your regular routine?  Do you exercise every day?  Interact with your colleagues while you're doing amazing work?  Go to church?  Volunteer?  My guess is that most of you do at least one or two of these things every week.

What did the church at Antioch do on a regular basis?  Verse two is simple yet profound:  While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting.  This sounds like a 'normal' activity, doesn't it?  Like my exercise, my volunteering, my work.  And what happened while they were worshiping and praying?  The Lord spoke to them:  "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them."  Yes, the Lord answered prayer.  He answered prayer, gave direction, while the church was being the church - worshiping and fasting.

And what did these dear christians do after the Lord told them what to do?  They set Barnabas and Saul apart for their work - after they had fasted and prayed.  They listened and they obeyed.  

We could do several blogs posts on fasting, worship and prayer - and how the 21st century church seems to ignore fasting, much to our peril.  The early church had a rhythm, a discipline, that included corporate worship, fasting, and prayer.  God spoke because they were actively listening!  

My gym membership only pays off if I use it.  The same can be said for the Christian disciplines of fasting, prayer and worship.  Let's ask God to give us ears to hear Him, and feet to do his work.  

Find God at work - and go join him!  Thanks be to God for these three verses, and to our brothers and sisters who modeled Godly behavior.