Focus

As you quiet yourself for this brief time, be willing to be open to God in whatever way that may take place.

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Read

Acts 1:1-5 (NRSV)

In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

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Reflect

We’re told in this scripture that Jesus “presented himself alive” to his disciples after he rose from the dead “by many convincing proofs” over the course of 40 days. It must have been an astounding thing to experience. We base our Christian beliefs on these writings that are now around 2,000 years old. What they regarded as “many convincing proofs” we have to accept by faith.

That kind of faith seems to come at least somewhat naturally to some, and not so naturally to others. We haven’t seen what these first followers saw. Some of us feel that we have experienced a presence of God in our lives that others of us simply can’t say we’ve ever experienced.

I believe that God meets us all at the place of faith or doubt we are really experiencing. I don’t believe we’re expected to claim a level of experience of God that is not our honest, real experience. God loves us, I am convinced, at our most honest and genuine. What is important is to pursue God. Our pursuit of God is our experience of God.

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Pray

God, we seek you. We seek to experience you. Reveal yourself to us. We ask it in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Go with God.