“Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.” – Acts 13:3
What a terrific example! The church in Antioch was worshiping, fasting, and praying. The Holy Spirit told them to set Barnabas and Saul (Paul) apart for special work. And the church did, right then and there. They finished fasting and praying, then they laid on hands and off they went!
No lengthy period of planning. No long process of further discussing what God had revealed. No coordination process. Simple, immediate obedience. It’s as beautiful as it is remarkable.
Are we willing to do the same today? Surely some are, but for the most part we seem much, more “deliberate” in obeying God’s call. We take our time. We consider our cost. Sometimes we indulge our doubts and fears.
Were things easier or less complicated then? Perhaps in some ways, but certainly not overall. Surely we’d agree that it’s easier to travel and arrange logistics today. Many of the hazards of that day are much diminished now. Finances and some job skills are more portable than ever.
The challenge is really one of commitment. When God speaks, are we willing to act decisively? Even when it’s hard, risky, or completely new and different (as it was in Antioch)? The challenges of advancing God’s Kingdom in our 21st century world require the same fidelity and flexibility demonstrated by the Christians of Antioch in the 1st century. Will we reshape our personal walk with Jesus and our church life to more nimbly follow the leading of the Holy Spirit?