Stephen

About two weeks ago, I was helping my dad with a basketball camp here at the church. It was so much fun and I can't tell you how great it was to be around kids again :) However, one of the "huddle times" we had, where my dad shares a little devotional with the campers, he had another coach and myself read through about 10 verses. Each verse had an emphasis on some form of the word "sit." Here are a few of those verses that I could find:

"The Lord says to my Lord: 'Sit at my right hand until I make enemies a footstool for your feet." Psalm 110:1

"...I saw the Lord seated on a throne, high and exalted, and the train of his robe filled the temple."
Isaiah 6:1

"...After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven."
Hebrews 1:3

"...which he exerted in Christ when he raised him from the dead and seated him at his right hand in the heavenly realms"
Ephesians 1:20

Then my dad read this verse...

"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus, standing at the right hand of God."
Acts 7:55

The Lord gave Stephen a standing ovation...

I don't know what it was about this devotional my dad gave but I haven't been able to get it off my mind. Stephen lived in such a way that the Lord stood up out of His throne. Stephen saw Jesus Christ standing...for him. I think this is absolutely incredible. I know I've read the story of Stephen before...but not good enough. I want to know what made this man "full of the Holy Spirit" and I want to know what caused our Savior to be that pleased with someone. God knows I shouldn't be expecting anything like what Stephen received...but I have this inner desire to try and be better.

Although I go through most days simply thankful for the Lord's mercies because I screw up all the time, maybe someday I'll begin to understand what Stephen understood; because all I know, is that he "got it." He understood something that was so great that even Jesus Christ, Stephen's own creator, had to stand up.