Worthy to Suffer Shame

[S] Acts 5:41 --
So they went on their way from the presence of the Council, rejoicing that they had been considered worthy to suffer shame for His name. 

[O] The apostles were arrested, warned, and then flogged before released and yet they rejoiced because they knew the suffering was due to their loyalty to Jesus and the commitment to spread His word despite the oppositions from the Jewish leaders.  To see how suffering shame for His name's sake is very difficult to relate to because I had not gone through such an experience but I, nevertheless, need to keep this in my mind because as I continue to follow His footsteps here on earth, I will have to face oppositions from the world and yet I must still commit to Jesus' name.

[A] The Holy Spirit's convicting me the criticality of training more disciples in the Lord who will take the shame and suffering coming from this world for the sake of His name.  This year, I would like to pray and proceed on starting up a disciple-making community.

[P] Dear Father, forgive my life for staying in my own comfort zone and not branching out to preach Your word into this world which is fading away.  I've been too comfortable among the believers and I would like to reach out to the lost souls more actively even if it means shame and suffering.  I am scared as I pray this to You but I want to trust You completely as I ask in Jesus' name.  Amen.

Unashamed Nakedness

[S] Genesis 2:25 --
 ²⁵And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

[O] When Adam and Eve had the right relationship with God which was originally intended, they had nothing to hide from God.  Not that they could hide anything from God but their conscience was clear before God and so they were not ashamed to be naked.  Shamefulness is self-generated, not put on by others because it is the person's awareness of other people's knowledge about him/herself.  So a person without any of these knowledge will not have anything to be ashamed of.

[A] How I desire to live a life without any inkling of shame before God who already knows everything about myself.  I want to so close to God that even if I am "naked" before Him I would be just business as usual.

[P] Dear Father, please grant me a clean and pure heart such that when I am with You, I would be totally resting in Your presence without worrying about any shame.  In Jesus' name.  Amen.

Ashamed, Blushing, and Boasting

[S] Jeremiah 8:12, 24 --
¹²"Were they ashamed because of the abomination they had done?
They certainly were not ashamed,
And they did not know how to blush;
Therefore they shall fall among those who fall;
At the time of their punishment they shall be brought down,"
Says the LORD.

²⁴but let him who boasts boast of this, that he understands and knows Me, that I am the LORD who exercises lovingkindness, justice and righteousness on earth; for I delight in these things," declares the LORD.

[O] As a parent raising children, at times I fall into the trap of trying to teach my children not to be ashamed (or blush) because we need to live a confident life or something along that line. This is true if they are too timid to speak out their thoughts or easily influenced by others opinions too much, but not when they have done something wrong. There are times when we should be ashamed of our actions and blush a lot. So, it is as important for me to teach my children to be ashamed if they have done shameful acts instead of trying to cover up to not look defeated. In verse 24, God explains when we should boast (or be confident) which is by our knowledge of God in whom we delight. About knowing God is definitely the time we should not be ashamed (just like that guy wearing this t-shirt).

[A] Teach my children to be ashamed when they do shameful things. Also teach them to be boasting of their knowledge of God who cares and loves them as they are regardless of their shameful acts.

[P] Dear God, give me a heart that knows shame when I do shameful things to others. I want to be able to blush because that is your design in me to know what I shouldn't be doing. May my heart not be hardened enough to bypass these warning signals You placed in me. I want to walk closer to You every day. In Jesus Christ's name. Amen.