Ordinary Time

Pause

What does it take to bring something into being, something that simply did not exist? Can you imagine a time “before time?”

The God we worship is not only unconcerned about such constraints; God works totally outside our perceptions of time and space.

This is the God who awaits you now in quietness. Seek the freedom to be in touch with your Creator.

Listen

While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the interior regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They replied, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” Then he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They answered, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied — altogether there were about twelve of them.

Acts 19:1-7

Think

To fully understand what it means to be a Green Bay Packers fan, you must live in Green Bay and attend football games in subfreezing weather while wearing a Styrofoam cheese wedge on your head. This is the way to be baptized into Packer fanhood.

Being baptized into a sports culture is quite different than the baptism of the Spirit to which our text today is referring, but there is similarity. Whereas being baptized by John provided for knowledge of one who was coming, Paul baptized into the spirit of the one who had come. Once they went from knowledge of Jesus to being in baptized in his name, they received the Spirit of God.

From this baptism new disciples began to share the Good News of Christ. Once again, God creatively sent out another twelve to share the gospel in ways they were previously unable to do. God is constantly calling new people to share that gospel with the world in new ways. How will God use you?

Brian Foreman

Pray

Spirit God, I pray that I know you intimately rather than in "fair weather" ways. I pray that others will see you in me, and in doing so they see the difference between one who knows OF you and one who KNOWS you. Amen.

Go

Creator God we sing, a hymn of joy we’re making;
Our grateful love we bring, as the new day’s light is breaking.
God made the sea and land; the sun and stars came rolling
From God’s own loving hand, their Creator’s love extolling.
Alleluia, alleluia!

Creator God we sing: Alleluia!

From "Cantemos al Creador" by Carlos Rosas