Friday Prayer: Stephen's Courage

Father, Stephen served tables and then gave his life. He performed miracles and was killed for it. He spoke truth and died for it. As stones struck him, he prayed for forgiveness. As life left him, he asked you to receive his spirit. He died like Jesus - full of grace, speaking truth, forgiving enemies. This is what Spirit-filled faithfulness looks like.

Give me his courage to speak truth regardless of cost. Give me his grace to forgive those who harm me. Give me his vision to see heaven open when earth is hostile. I want comfortable Christianity that costs nothing. But you call me to faithful witness that might cost everything.

Help me remember that Stephen's brief suffering resulted in eternal glory. Help me trust that seeds planted through faithful witness - even if it kills me - will bear fruit I'll never see. Make me willing to lose everything for Christ's sake, knowing that what I lose temporally I'll gain eternally. If you call me to martyrdom like Stephen, give me his grace to die forgiving my killers.