Devotion 8/5, Imagine!
After his suffering, he . . . gave many convincing proofs that he was alive. He appeared to them over a period of forty days and spoke about the kingdom of God.
Acts 1:3
People can argue and debate faith, and they can talk about possible contradictions in the Bible, but a life transformed by Jesus is a powerful mystery that cannot be denied. It’s a work of the Holy Spirit that can fill you with awe. With this in mind, let’s explore sections of the Bible’s book of Acts.
Acts tells the story of the beginning of the church built by Jesus Christ. It also shows how God, by his Spirit, was doing something new and powerful by coming to live within people whom he called to have new life in Christ. Luke, the writer of Acts, captures moments and events in the development of the church that brought a deep sense of awe.
As we look to Acts for inspiration, we do this not to try to revive the past. We look back to find a way forward as we embrace the possibility that God by his Spirit is doing something new even today.
So, if you are new to the Christian faith, this can help to draw your heart and mind to the possibilities of what God can do. And if you have been a Christian for a while, this exercise may help to refresh your focus and imagination on the amazing things God can do in our lives and for his kingdom.
Lord and God, I long for more of you. I desire a deep sense of awe as I see you work and move in my life. Help me to set aside my ideas of how I think you work, and please renew my eyes, ears, and heart to sense what you want to do. Amen.
Lord, I can only imagine what the possibilities are for your kingdom here on earth, if we’d open our eyes to what you are doing in your church today. We are so easily distracted by satan that we often fail to see your presence. Open our eyes to the possibilities and help build your church one soul at a time. This is a journey that brothers and sisters in Christ should savor, as we know the final outcome and can only imagine our reward of being in Your presence.
I pray we live our lives as a celebration of Your church and Your kingdom to come. In Jesus name I pray, Amen.
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