JESUS IS WORTH FOLLOWING 4

What's your usual response when God doesn't seem to make sense? Maybe, like the man in today's story, your child was born with a disability you know will affect her for life. Maybe you are living with a health concern that has altered your life. Maybe your family has fallen on tough financial times. Maybe you're dealing with depression or anxiety or a broken relationship. Maybe, like Peter and John, you're facing persecution for your faith.

In this broken world, there's something you've asked God to change, and He hasn't seemed to act.

My theory is everyone has a go-to reaction in these situations. Some people jump straight to anger. Some resort to a curledin-a-ball-can't-get-up-in-the-morning grief and sadness. Some people topple in anxiety: "Is God still in control?" Some people try to take over. "God won't do this for me? OK, I'll jump in and do it myself." Some people (ask me how I know) do all four and more.

We don't always leave room for this kind of talk. We're afraid we'll sound like "bad Christians," like we don't have enough faith. We hear that the early church members in Acts prayed for boldness and rejoiced to be persecuted. We think that means they didn't feel afraid or sad or angry. I think the fact that they had to pray for boldness means they didn't have anything close to boldness going into these situations. Just look at all the twists and turns Peter's faith Journey has taken already this week in VBS. I think these early Christians were probably more like David.

"How long, LORD? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long will I store up anxious concerns within me, agony in my mind every day? How long will my enemy dominate me?" Psalm 13:1-2

God can handle these kinds of questions. The Bible shows us that. He doesn't turn away from hard moments. And, He proves again and again that He's worth following, even when it gets tough. That's why the man in our Acts 3 passage could Immediately praise God when he was healed instead of crediting Peter and John with the miracle. That's why Peter and John could stand boldly before the Jewish leaders and speak the words God gave them.

Jesus is worth following because He has the power to heal.

Jesus is worth following because He gives us the words we need when we need them.