Ordinary: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

           

           Ordinary

            Not scholars or statesmen

            merchants or interpreters

            instead working class Galileans

            speaking complex languages

            fluently with purpose

            message in the miracle

            delivered by ordinary

            ambassadors chosen

            for that day—that place—that time

            crying out good news

            mysteries.

Reflection: Astonished: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reflection Questions

1.     What expectations or assumptions do you expect from a speaker?

2.     What expectations or assumptions do you expect of yourself if giving a talk?

3.     Does your attitude or approach differ between professional or personal? Why and how?

4.     Have you received or given a message unexpectedly by the Holy Spirit’s prompting?

Share: Who first told you about Jesus in a way that you understood?

Astonished: Word Ambassadors: Prayers and Poetry

Reading: Acts 2:7

“Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?’”

How many times do we tend to put up boundaries against God’s spoken word whether knowingly or not?

Can only hear it spoken here.

Only by this or that person with these credentials.

Cannot at this time—maybe later.

How often do we lock others out, or keep ourselves from giving the unexpected words of hope, because of busyness, or hardness of heart, or fear of ridicule?

Yet God speaks anytime and anywhere through any persons. Through joy and sadness, birth and death, riches and poverty, ready hearts and stone hearts, through creation, and at least once through a donkey. No limits on His words going out or coming in, except from our very ordinary selves.

“For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart.” Hebrews 4: 12

Lord, please give us hearts and souls ready and willing to listen—to notice—to receive—to obey—to share as You direct. And when we are astonished, may we remember to give thanks to You alone.

Psalm of Worship: Genesis 1:7

“So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so.”