A Reflection on Acts 6:15 – 7:16
There’s something powerful about this moment—Stephen, standing before the highest religious court of his day, accused of blasphemy, misunderstood, and slandered—and yet his face, Scripture says, “was like the face of an angel.”
He doesn’t respond with fear. He doesn’t react in anger. He responds by telling the story.
Our story. God’s story.
He begins with Abraham—called by God to leave everything familiar and walk into the unknown. A man who believed the promise even when he had no land, no child, no security. And yet, Stephen says, God was with him.
That phrase lands deep in my heart this morning: God was with him.
That’s what Stephen is showing me—not just facts from history, but a pattern:
Even in uncertainty, God is present.
Even in oppression, God is moving.
Even when the people forget the promise, God remembers.
Stephen tells of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph—people who didn’t have the full picture, who often suffered, who walked through famine and betrayal and slavery—but who still carried the promise.
And I’m reminded: I’m part of that story too.
Today, I may not be standing before a council like Stephen, but I do face my own trials—moments when obedience is costly, when truth is unpopular, when hope feels distant. And yet…
God is with me.
The promise still holds.
I am part of something far bigger than what I can see.
Stephen’s courage didn’t come from having the right arguments.
It came from knowing who he belonged to—and who had been faithful through every generation.
⸻
Action Steps
1. Remember the bigger story.
When I feel overwhelmed by what’s right in front of me—disappointment, conflict, fear—I’ll pause and remember: I’m part of a much longer, deeper story of grace. God has been faithful through centuries. He won’t stop now.
2. Speak from a place of peace.
Stephen didn’t preach to prove a point. He bore witness to the truth with clarity and calm. Today, if I need to speak up, I’ll do it from peace—not ego.
3. Lean into the unknown like Abraham.
If I feel like I’m walking into unfamiliar territory—new responsibilities, changes, or uncertainties—I’ll take the next step in faith. Like Abraham, I may not know the full map, but I trust the One who walks with me.
4. Reflect God’s presence.
Whether in conflict or calm, I want to carry a quiet radiance today. May my face—my tone, my posture, my words—reflect the fact that I’ve been with Jesus.
⸻
Prayer
God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob—
the God of Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Leah—
the God who has walked with the faithful across generations,
walk with me today.
Like Abraham, help me trust You when the road is unclear.
Like Joseph, help me believe You are working even in hardship.
Like Stephen, help me speak truth with grace and shine with Your peace.
Remind me that I am not alone.
Remind me that Your promise is alive in me.
And remind me that wherever I go—no matter how hard or holy the ground—
You are with me.
Make my life a living witness today,
not through grand gestures,
but through quiet faithfulness.
Through words that heal,
through actions that serve,
and through a spirit that stays soft in the face of pressure.
Thank You for the story I’m part of.
Help me live it well.
Amen.
⸻
Today, I walk as a carrier of the promise.
I belong to a bigger story.
And no matter where I go—God is with me.
