God Prevails!

In today’s first reading, Acts 5: 34-42, Gamaliel, a leading Rabbi at the time of Jesus’ resurrection, confronts the Sanhedrin, of which he is a respected member. The Sanhedrin has arrested Peter and John.  Gamaliel warns them to be careful of what they intend to do to these men, saying:  “…if this endeavor or this activity…comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

Ever find that you throw yourself head over heels into something and it does not last or it leads to complete disaster?  Is it possible that the idea came, not from God, but from the false self, the ego self?  Perhaps the ego was seeking accolades or resolved to show up someone or determined to seek revenge.  At other times, have you ever said to yourself: “I can’t believe that I stuck to it; nothing could have deterred me”?  Is it possible that it was God calling you to that engagement, that activity.  And then, again, are there not times when the Spirit is calling you to do something and you forever resist, ending up fighting God. In other words, what you are resisting is God’s will, as Jonah did. Guess who wins!

Another scenario that brings home this Scripture reading is when a parent becomes unglued when a teenager begins dating and the parent is determined to put an end to the relationship at any cost.  Could this Scripture passage give some insights:  “…if this endeavor or this activity is of human origin, it will destroy itself. But if it comes from God, you will not be able to destroy them; you may even find yourselves fighting against God.”

Are you engaged in something that is not of God? Or are you fighting  or resisting something that is of God ?  Guess who wins luckily!