Pastor's Pen

Beloved- it was Abraham Lincoln who said, “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.”
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Stephen, the first martyr of the early church, did not live a long life here on earth. In fact, after one of his first sermons, he was stoned to death. Yet, Stephen made his years count for Christ.
As he left earth for heaven the Holy Spirit records in Acts 6:15, “And they saw that his face was like the face of an angel!” Stephen had the face of an angel because he reflected the glory of God. He is one of maybe two in the entire history of the world, (Moses, being the other) whose face has reflected God’s glory.

The outward manifestation of God’s glory on Stephen’s face came about because he had an inward glory as well. Stephen is described in Scripture as a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit and full of God’s grace and power. Though he was falsely accused, violently arrested and ultimately stoned to death; Stephen kept his composure and thus his face was like the face of an angel.

Stephen’s life shows us that the efforts of one courageous person, though of short duration, could have far reaching effects. Remember what Abraham Lincoln said, “In the end, it's not the years in your life that count. It's the life in your years.” Beloved, are you making your years count?