Daily Devotion

I enjoy going to museums.  I especially love seeing artifacts that help me learn about people of days gone by.  Seeing what kind of tools they used, how they cooked their food, what jewelry they wore, even objects of their spiritual lives or burial practices fascinate me.  I wonder how these people of long ago were different or the same as us?  What were their struggles? What brought them joy or sadness?  What made them laugh out loud? What could they teach us about living a meaningful life?

This weekend in worship we will be reading this passage from the book of Acts, chapter 2:
42 They devoted themselves to the apostles' teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. 43 Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. 44 All who believed were together and had all things in common; 45 they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. 46 Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, 47 praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

In some ways, reading this passage is like visiting a museum because it tells us a lot about the faith practices of the early followers of Jesus.  Jesus had ascended into heaven, the mighty Holy Spirit came at Pentecost, and now the ever-expanding community of disciples were living their lives in faithfulness. In this passage we see what was important to them.  They lived their faith both in the Temple and at home.  They gathered as a community and devoted themselves to a “Jesus way of life.” They were generous, selling their possessions so they could support those whose needs were great—they shared their meals with glad and generous hearts—and they praised God.   Their very way of life drew others to Jesus as “the Lord added to their numbers.”  I am inspired by their witness.

Someday, someone will be studying our way of life in a museum.  What will they say about how we lived our faith?  What will future generations of Good Shepherd members say about how we were generous with our resources and how we devoted ourselves to a “Jesus way of life.”  What will they say about our faithfulness during the great 2020 pandemic?  What stories will be told about how we praised God, or how we took care of the vulnerable?  Did our way of life draw others to Jesus?  Perhaps the very exercise of pondering these questions will influence how they will one day be answered.

Pastor Heidi Johns