“Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.” (Acts 4:13, ESV) Peter and John were so impacted by their time with Jesus and the presence of Jesus with them – the people, even though unbelievers, knew they had been with Jesus. Jesus leaves an unmistakable mark on the lives of those who belong to him and spend time with him. We can’t belong to Jesus and remain the same. We bear the marks of the presence of the Lord – it is not a new and shine me / you – it is the new creation that we are in Christ Jesus. The new person is a work in progress and the more time we spend with Jesus the more we progress. Do people notice that you have been with Jesus? I pray that his mark on me is growing as I decrease, and he increases. Lord help us. Amen.
