A Devotional by Dr. Dan Ivins

Who Calls the Shots?
Acts 5:27-32

Who calls the shots in your life? Everybody has some authority, whether good or ill. People today are listening to all sorts of voices that strive to be our authority. But not many are listening to the Shepherd’s voice. More and more are listening to the wolves.

Kids unable to distinguish between power and respect are making guns the bottom line, and shooting those who bug them. Advertising lures us to buy things we don’t need. Music is laced with violence. We learn more about marriage vows from Hollywood than Sunday School. We learn about citizenship from the partisanship in Congress. We learn theology by watching television evangelists.

But Peter took his cue from Jesus Christ. This was his authority; the center from which everything in his life flowed. When the local authorities threatened him to refrain from testifying about Jesus, he was faithful rather than tactful when it became impossible to be both:“We must obey God rather than any human authority...we are witnesses of these things”(Acts 5:29 & 32).  Peter let God call the shots in his life. Who calls them in yours? You’re ahead of the game when you know, especially if it is Jesus.

“Prayer for the Day” Forgive us Lord, when we succumb to the many cacophony of sounds that would lead us to be timid about our faith. Help us to listen for the voice of the Good Shepherd and follow him.