“The Christian faith helps refocus our attention and reorient us to what is true.”
Thoughts from daily Bible reading for today – April 25, 2026
The next day the council of all the rulers and elders and teachers of religious law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, along with Caiaphas, John, Alexander, and other relatives of the high priest. They brought in the two disciples and demanded, “By what power, or in whose name, have you done this?” Acts 4:5-7, NLT
One of the most persistent temptations we face in life is to take credit for what we achieve and, conversely, to excuse or reassign blame for our shortcomings. Of course, humility is still seen as a virtue in our culture, so we’re rarely so bold or brash, yet in our heart of hearts, we are so often tempted in this way. As such, the Christian faith is an unspeakable gift, for it helps to always refocus our attention and reorient us to what is true.
In Acts 4, we see early disciples doing remarkable things yet retaining absolute clarity on the source of their strength. When asked “by what power, or in whose name, have you done this?”, Peter’s response couldn’t be clearer. “Do you want to know how he was healed? Let me clearly state to all of you and to all the people of Israel that he was healed by the powerful name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, the man you crucified but whom God raised from the dead” (Acts 4:9b-10).
Great spiritual wisdom is found when we accept that our shortcomings and failures are ours and ours alone, and yet anything we do that is great or worthy of praise is done “by the powerful name of Jesus Christ.” It is Christ alone who works goodness and virtue and courage in our hearts and lives, and we flourish and grow when we see this truth in all of its glorious wonder. Of course, it is good to celebrate and honor those who have done great things in Christ’s name, for in them we see the power and love of God at work in real and embodied ways. But let us never, ever lose sight of the source, for it is only by the power of God at work in us and our world that healing and restoration is to be found.
Prayer
Father, thank you for your power that is at work in and through us. May we always be quick to give you praise and point others to you, through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Application
Where is the power of God at work in your life today, and how can you give thanks that it is his strength, not yours, that sustains and animates your life?
Related Reading
Psalm 115:1; John 15:5; 1 Corinthians 15:10
Worship Resource
Hillsong Worship: What A Beautiful Name
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