Listen

Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

In the last days, God says,
I will pour out my Spirit on all people.
Your sons and daughters will prophesy.
Your young will see visions.
Your elders will dream dreams.
Even upon my servants, men and women,
I will pour out my Spirit in those days,
and they will prophesy.”

Acts 2:14-18

Think

Isn’t it interesting how we not only overlook the surprising and miraculous works of God around us, but that we also tend to dismiss them as something less magnificent, more ordinary, somehow questionable or even suspicious? We ignore people, thinking, “He’s being ridiculous.” We dismiss people, saying, “She’s crazy.” We pay no attention to what might be signs and wonders, visions and prophecy, saying, “They’re drunk!”

What if we opened ourselves up to the possibility that God was still speaking to us, speaking as often as not through people we might otherwise ignore, dismiss, or simply pay no attention? What if we backed off a bit from our skepticism, eased up on our rational thought-processes, and began to truly listen to the visions of the youth and the dreams of our elders? What if we assumed that all of God’s children—sons and daughters, young and old, from every social class and every ethnic background—were capable of being channels for God’s insights?

In these post-Pentecost days, may God’s Spirit fall afresh on us all.

Peter Hanson

Pray

O God, I am listening.

Open my ears and eyes to hear and see how you are still speaking and moving in our world.

When I feel hopeless and discouraged, give me the faith to believe that the seemingly impossible might actually be possible. Give me the courage to be a part of making your vision of justice and peace come true on earth as it is in heaven.

Amen.

Go

You are a beloved child of God,

created in God’s image,

empowered with the gift of Christ’s peace,

led by the Spirit of truth.

Go into this troubled world led beyond your fear to live as God’s children here and now.