A daybreak calling to Deb
Today's reading Acts 5:18-21 (New International Version)
18They arrested the apostles and put them in the public jail. 19But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the doors of the jail and brought them out. 20"Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people the full message of this new life."
21At daybreak they entered the temple courts, as they had been told, and began to teach the people.

No, this is not Deb, this is Dorothy Brucks, of Nixa, MO. I am a friend of Deb’s just as many of you are. I met her about a year and ½ ago on-line (imagine that), and soon found out we have so many life experiences in common, one being we both love to write and we both love to tell the story.

After visiting with Deb on the phone Friday evening for over an hour I told her that I would attempt to share a message of devotion on her site until she was able to return. I am not as eloquent as she, but I’ll do my best and who knows, I might improve.

I have had the blessing to give birth to two boys and felt the pains of childbirth to watch new life come into this earthy heaven. This all happened for me 25 and 28 years ago before epidurals. It was strapped into the bed and felt fearful of what was ahead, I was behind closed doors just as the apostles were behind the jail cell walls.

I picture heavenly light as the angel appears and speaks to them – did he cry out like a newborn baby, did he use a thunderous voice from the heavens … I don’t know. What I do know is that the angel gave instruction and they followed, simple as that, stated very matter of fact. Sounds so similar to my cries and screams and being told to follow orders to bring my boys into new life.

New life is wondrous; a contrast of what the temple courts must have been like. The apostles were headed to trial, yet instructed to teach the people of new life. And so they began to teach, to speak of the life one has at the foot of the cross, the life one has by accepting the great "I Am" into their hearts, to believe without a moment’s hesitation that Christ was raised from the dead for YOU and for ME.

I have stood on the temple mount in Jerusalem; I can picture the scene, the echo of their voices on the stone walls and pathways, the sounds and smells of animals in the market, the morning sunlight peaking up over the hillside, shining on the city of Jerusalem. Our friend Deb is standing in a very different place in her life right now, contemplating surgery, not knowing the outcome but ever so desirous to share the gospel of new life in Christ, yet her devotional ministry is on hold.


God’s divine providence will show up at just the right moment in time for her just as it does for you and me. I believe she will be a wonderful witness to her physicians and care givers and she will be rewarded by the angels announcement once again to ‘go and tell them of the full message of new life” and it will be at daybreak some morning and she will sit at her computer once again rejoicing and sharing!


Shalom to my new friends! Dorothy Brucks, Aldersgate UMC, Nixa, Mo.