The portrayal of Stephen at his stoning recalls Jesus at his crucifixion in the same author's gospel. The way of the cross is revealed in the gospel by the Human Being Jesus, and in Acts by the disciple Stephen-while the persecutor and future disciple Saul watches. Stephen's vision, like his echo of Jesus' words, tells us that the martyr is blessed with the crowning human experience. Asking in Jesus' name for what Jesus said was our happiness, the cross, sounds like a dangerous formula for getting exactly what God wants. Then God seems unknown, inscrutable.
Hard days come more often than good days.
Worst of all are days when I find the grunge of selfishness in my soul. God is still present, but my heart feels hard and alone. When I'm convicted again of bitterness, lack of forgiveness, I wonder how I could hope to know a God who is all love. As kids we called each other names sometimes. Then God is unknown in my soul.