Good morning, friends.
Our verse for today comes from Acts 7:60, “And falling to his knees he cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ And when he had said this, he fell asleep.”
I’m a big fan of the movie Braveheart. And so, I was quite tickled to have recently stumbled upon a book entitled Events to be remembered in the history of England, by Charles Selby. In my search, I happened to land within the book at the precise point where Selby was recounting the Battle of Bannockburn. This battle, which occurred on June 23 and 24 in the year 1314, was part of the First War of Scottish Independence, and is celebrated by Scots still today as an historic victory in their fight for freedom from England, which they eventually secured in 1328. Bannockburn is also the final scene in Braveheart, where Robert the Bruce leads the Scottish troops who had so valiantly followed William Wallace to victory over the much larger invading troops from England. But in Selby’s book, I found something additional that I was looking for regarding this battle. At the dawn of the second day, the Scots celebrated mass in their camp before they marched to the field of battle. Afterwards, having followed the abbot into formation on the battlefield, the men gathered together with him for prayer. As the abbot prayed, they all fell to their knees. Upon seeing them, some of the English soldiers exclaimed, “They kneel, they kneel, they beg for mercy.” But the Scottish noble Ingelram de Umfraville warned them, “Do not deceive yourselves, they beg for mercy; but it is only from God.”
As Stephen echoed his Savior’s plea for God to forgive those who executed him, he dropped to his knees. But like the Scots who did not fear the English, Stephen took no mind of his enemies. He, too, bowed his knees in humble request to God. His hope was in something far greater than deflecting the oncoming stones, as those soldiers on the battlefield hoped in more than their swords and axes. Our knees bend all day long as we walk and sit, rising and falling back into our chairs. Should they not bend also to beg our Father for what He eagerly waits to hear from us? Should we not lower ourselves before the One who made the stones and rules every battlefield, especially the one within our heart?
As we seek Him today, bow down before your King and give honor and glory to the Almighty.
Have a splendid Wednesday.
#4 Rich Holt
Dad of Ripken, Koy, TrishaJean, Samantha, Kakie Holiday and Raleigh
Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them.
