Daily EncouragementSample

This is the most dramatic moment in the whole moving story of Stephen’s defence and martyrdom. What significance do gnashing teeth, screaming voices and even flying stones have for a man who looks up into an open heaven?

There are times when we wonder how those who have been called to suffer torture and cruel death for the sake of the Lord and his gospel have endured. More than that, we wonder how they have done so triumphantly, disdaining fire and sword and stone. We ask ourselves how we would do, facing the firing squad with our backs against the wall.

The answer is here - “the Lord is at hand.” Heaven and its glory are nearer than the maddening crowd. Our great high priest, “Jesus, the Son of God” (Heb: 4:14), whom we usually think of as seated “at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven” (Acts 1:3), stands to assure his servant of his present help and to welcome him to the heavenly home. And that is not all. The Christian is prepared beforehand - “they saw that his face was like the face of an angel” (Acts 6:15). He was “full of the Holy Spirit.” The final word is not one of ugly death, but one of blissful sleep - “he fell asleep.”