“Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples.” (Acts 9:1 NIV)
Our pastor has been walking us through an eye-opening sermon series on the book of Acts. She’s asked us every Sunday and do a heart check: how do we compare the the constituents of the early church? Week after week, I am convicted and transformed by the narratives of the very first Christians. Yesterday, she pointed out Saul and the murderous atmosphere he created and sustained.
There’s a lot of talk about atmosphere in our new church and in light of this scripture, I finally see what they are referring to. Saul willfully created an atmosphere of death and destruction. In the words of our pastor, “Saul was breathing threats. They were continuous. He cultivated an atmosphere of threats and murder. He breathed it in and out and it kept him going. It was oxygen, or fuel for his life.”
The question that followed knocked me a bit off center. What atmosphere am I creating? Surely most of us aren’t plotting murder, but maybe discontentment is in the air? Disappointment? Dissatisfaction? Maybe we are always mad and anger wafts about like the lines around the Peanuts character? Perhaps we overcommit and we live and breathe stress? Maybe unhappiness or sadness are the constant odor in our atmosphere?
The thing is, we can do an air quality check. We can ask the Spirit and we can ask others. What do I bring in the room with me? What am I contributing and consuming when I breathe in and out? Soothing as simple as an attitude adjustment or a consumption correction can immediately address our air quality. We can choose wholesome and holy instead of toxic and ungodly. The atmosphere can be spoken to and the result is an alteration in what we are breathing in.
We see examples of this in the story of King Saul:
“After that, whenever the bad depression from God tormented Saul, David got out the harp and played. That would calm Saul down and he would feel better as his moodiness lifted.” (1 Samuel 16:23 MSG)
When David played songs to the Lord, the atmosphere shifted. The mood in the room lifted and King Saul found himself caught up with it. For whatever reason, Saul could not do this on his own. He employed David as a spiritual crutch. We learn in this example that the atmosphere can be changed by others. But the atmosphere can also be changed by us. Consider Paul and Silas in prison:
“About midnight, Paul and Silas were at prayer and singing a robust hymn to God. the other prisoners couldn’t believe their ears. Then, without warning, a huge earthquake! The jailhouse tottered, every door flew open and all the prisoners were loose.” (Acts 16:25-26 MSG)
Paul and Silas adjusted their own atmosphere through prayer and praise. When the air changed, the prison doors broke open. This is prescriptive for us. When we are weary, when we are feeling persecuted or pushed down by circumstance, prayer and worship can alter our perspective and therefore our attitude.
Lord, give us the courage today to do a personal air quality check. Speak with us about what we are breathing in and out. Birth praise and prayer in our hearts and thus change the atmosphere of our lives. Amen.