July 5
Bible Reading: Acts 6:8-15
Acts 6:15, “And gazing at him, all who sat in the council saw that his face was like the face of an angel.”
“May the Mind of Christ, My Savior,” is amongst my favorite hymns, and one line in that hymn is especially dear to me: “May His beauty rest upon me, as I seek the lost to win, and may they forget the channel, seeing only him.” That’s an awesome prayer that speaks to the awesome work God does, in transforming us from who we were, lost and ugly in sin, to what He intends for us to be— transformed into the beauty of the likeness of Christ (Romans 8:29).
It is a work of the Spirit to transform us, even as Jesus had said: “He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you” (John 16:14). The primary ministry of the Spirit is to mediate the presence of Christ to us, in us, and through us. It is a work of the Spirit to make us beautiful in Christ (2 Corinthians 3:18).
Stephen’s beauty in Christ, by the Spirit, was readily apparent to the brethren, for he was first on the list of those chosen to serve (Acts 6:5). But it was before the council that his accusers “saw that his face was like that of an angel” (Acts 6:15). The Spirit did in Stephen that which he could have never done on his own, what no beautician on earth could ever hope to replicate.
H. A. Ironside has commented on this, “I wish I could have a photograph or picture of Stephen standing before the council, listening to all those false accusations, and noticing the expressions of rage, ridicule, and indignation on the faces of his accusers. Yet he stood there, looking at them with a radiant countenance, full of love, trust, peace, and confidence, undisturbed by all the bitter things that were being said. His heart was not filled with malice because of their hatred toward him, but joy in the realization that he was there as Christ’s faithful servant.”
Stephen, soon destined to be the first Christian martyr, shone with a Christlike beauty for all to see. In that historical role, his situation was unique, but the Spirit is always working in all of us to make Christ’s beauty rest upon us. Make that your prayer for your day. And for your life.
Nothing can dim the beauty that shines from within.
MAY THE MIND OF CHRIST, MY SAVIOR
May the mind of Christ, my Savior,
live in me from day to day,
by His love and pow’r controlling
all I do and say.
May the word of God dwell richly
in my heart from hour to hour,
so that all may see I triumph
only through His pow’r.
May the peace of God my Father
rule my life in everything,
that I may be calm to comfort
sick and sorrowing.
May the love of Jesus fill me
as the waters fill the sea;
Him exalting, self abasing:
this is victory.
May I run the race before me,
strong and brave to face the foe,
looking only unto Jesus
as I onward go.
May His beauty rest upon me
as I seek the lost to win,
and may they forget the channel,
seeing only Him.
LookingtoJesus 