..to the breaking of bread and the prayers. — [acts 2:42b]
devoted to the breaking of bread
I always enjoy an opportunity to share a meal with friends from church. there is no question that sharing a meal is a great way to get to know people! many relationships have been kindled and strengthened over a meal. Families are built stronger when they share a meal together, and so is the family of God. we can easily show hospitality to others by inviting them for dinner, or for offering to buy their lunch.
knowing this, it is not surprising that these early believers not only enjoyed breaking bread together, not only did it on occasion, but were devoted to doing so. this was not something they tried to do every now and then when they had the time to do it, it was essential and necessary. it was a way to build one another up and sharing life together freely. in the same way, we should make every opportunity to ‘break bread’ with other believers, growing our faith and establishing our unity over a meal.
devoted to prayer
perhaps one major reason why these believers left everything behind to live a new life in Christ was because through Jesus, they had full access to God in prayer. they knew that they could do nothing in their own power, but through prayer God would do amazing things in and through them. Through their prayers, they witnessed miracles. the sick were healed, the broken were made whole, and they experienced a boldness many of them had never known before. this boldness brought persecution, yet in the persecution they found joy and peace, because they knew God heard and spoke to them through prayer.
God calls us to be a people of prayer. Through our prayers we have access to the power of God, and when we are a church devoted to prayer there is nothing he cannot accomplish through us.
~ jason soroski