These all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with His brothers.
Acts 1:14 (NKJV)
In our churches we often refer to the New Testament church that began in Acts; we see it as God’s blueprint of how Christians should have fellowship. How amazingly simple the first fellowship was in contrast to the complicated program-laden churches we have today, which are full of complications and strife.
Today’s verse lays out the fledgling church for us to see; these all continued (Greek: proskartereō) were earnest in their service to one another in every detail – they loved one another as Christ had loved them. Their loving service was not only from a few but from the whole fellowship – they were of one accord (Greek: homothumadon). They were unanimous in agreement and in action serving God. Their fellowship was bound together in both love and their joint prayers; their service needed constant prayers. Prayer was the glue that held them together; it was the anointing oil on their fellowship with one another.
Dear Reader, sadly in many churches prayer is only a small spoke in the wheel when it needs to be the axel that everything depends upon. It is a beautiful sight to see when a church changes its focus to prayer over everything else; God does miraculous things in such places. The same could be said at a personal level for the believer; prayer needs to be central to our faith. How central is prayer to your church, and to you personally?
This is an updated edition of a post originally published on Devotional Treasures
