Invocation
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Word
“We hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues.” Acts 2:11
Meditation
Today’s meditation is written by Susan Senechal.
My experiences as a parent are different from most of my friends. My children came to us through adoption as infants. That’s one of our life experiences. One of our children is biracial, and we have experienced some of life through her eyes: witnesses to discrimination when hearing of her treatment at a traffic stop, for instance.
Family moves during their pre-teen and teen years led to their feelings of anger and rebellion, isolation and struggles to find where they belong. I don’t have wonderful memories of them competing in high school athletics, music or drama; neither went to prom, walked across the stage at graduation (though they did graduate), or went to college (at least not yet). Police have knocked on our door more than once. So, I have a hard time relating to parents who cherish their child’s high school experience. Ours was tough!
And yet, I have experienced the wonders of God through it all. My native tongue is not “rah, rah, life is great,” but rather, “parenthood is hard and sometimes awful, but God is good even in the middle of the mess.” With God, I have continued to stand, I understand what it means to feel his presence even in the pit, and I have relied on the resurrection of Jesus and new life in him. With David I can say, “I saw the Lord always before me. Because he is at my right hand I will not be shaken.” (Acts 2:25)
When I bear witness to the goodness of God, I am only able to do it in my own native language…but I know there are others who will hear me speaking in their native tongue and it will give them hope as well.
The message remains the same—salvation comes through Jesus Christ—yet each of us has a native language, a life story that shapes how we speak this message. What is yours? We need only allow the Holy Spirit to give each of us a tongue on fire to declare the goodness of God for someone else to hear the truth through us.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, may your words be on my lips so others may hear me declaring the message of salvation in their own native tongue. Amen.
Prayer for the Spirit in Those Around Me
- For the Spirit to work faith in the hearts of those far from God, especially for my family and friends who do not know God as I do. I name them now . . .
- For the fruits of the Spirit in me and those I know: that my roots grow down deeper that fruit may sprout up. For more love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.
- Fill us when spiritually empty, strengthen us when weak, compel us when doubts conspire against me.
- For more people to be baptized in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.
Benediction
May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope. Amen. (Rom. 15:13)