Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Word
“And awe came upon every soul, and many wonders and signs were being done through the apostles. And all who believed were together and had all things in common.” Acts 2:43-44
Meditation
Today’s meditation is written by Megan Roegner.
Sometimes I imagine what it was like to be one of the early Christians, to be a follower of Christ in a time and place where it was still all new. When I read about the history of the Roman empire in the first and second centuries, I am astounded that the faith of this ragtag group filled with the socially vulnerable endured and wound up spreading around the world. What would have happened if Emperor Constantine hadn’t converted to Christianity in the fourth century, turning the church into a political powerhouse? Admittedly, it’s nice to not have to worry about facing lions in the Colosseum, but I also have to wonder what believers lose when their faith becomes “normal.”
When things become normal, they often lose their element of wonder. We take them for granted. The newborn my husband and I stayed awake to marvel over in the hospital became slightly less captivating at two a.m. six months later. Speaking of my husband, he might not find me quite so breathtaking after fourteen years of picking up my hairbands off of every flat surface in the house.
In Acts 2, the early Christians were filled with wonder. Verse 43 says that “awe came upon every soul.” In my life that is dominated by habit and routine, I long to feel awe. There are moments when I do, but they are elusive, fleeting, and usually solitary. How amazing it would be to be a part of a community of awe-filled people, connected first by wonder, not custom.
One of my favorite poets, Mary Oliver, wrote in her poem “Mysteries, Yes,”
“Let me keep my distance, always, from those
who think they have the answers.
Let me keep company always with those who say
“Look!” and laugh in astonishment,
and bow their heads.”
In honor of the early Christians, I’m going to try to commit to awe. As our predecessors deeply understood, Christianity isn’t normal, it’s astonishing! It subverts all of our mundane, human (and, dare I say, boring) impulses to focus on ourselves and instead turns us outward toward others and toward the divine. How incredible! It’s time to rediscover the wonder and let it draw us closer together.
Prayer: Lord, thank you for all of the wonder-ful things you do. In the midst of our daily habits and routines, help us be constantly amazed and full of awe at your power and love. Amen.
Prayer for the Spirit in my Life
- For the Holy Spirit to grow my faith, an ever more confident trust in God.
- For the Spirit to teach me the language of prayer.
- For the Spirit to make my unholy life more holy.
- For the Spirit to round my rough edges and conform me to God’s intention for my life.
Benediction
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (II Cor. 13:14)