28 Weeks Acts Devotion Week 28
WEEK 28 - ACTS 28 - February 18, 2019
Written by Dr. Amy Oden, Visiting Professor of Early Church History and Spirituality, Saint Paul School of Theology at Oklahoma City University
God does a new thing
The last chapter of Acts has lots of action – rough sailing on choppy seas, shipwreck, foreign lands, strange people, snakebite, healings, more stops in foreign ports, new adventures. And, if we followed the next 2,000 years after the birth of the church in Acts, we would see the action continue! We see God, again and again, call God’s people out of their comfort zones, into the world in new ways. God is always forming and re-forming structures and systems so that God can “do a new thing” in the world.
In the fifth century new Benedictine communities formed to meet the needs of a collapsing empire. In the 12th century lay people formed small groups to be better disciples in a grassroots movement that changed church structures. And in the Reformation, Christians launched new forms of church altogether. We have 2,000 years of empirical evidence that God is renewing all things!
As we gather for our General Conference, we are rooted in a long history of God’s faithfulness. God will continue to call us to love the world that God so loves – and that may include sailing choppy seas, going to unknown places, encountering strangers and being the stranger.
May we journey in confidence of God’s ever welcoming life!
Suggested reading schedule
• Monday - Acts 28:1-6
• Tuesday - Acts 28:7-10
• Wednesday - Acts 28:11-14
• Thursday - Acts 28:15-16
• Friday - Acts 28:17-22
• Saturday - Acts 28:23-31
• Sunday - Acts 28:1-31
Reflection question: How is God doing a new thing in your life, in your church, in the world?
Prayer focus: Those who hear God’s call to do a new thing.
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