Missionary Renegade: Daily Guide/Daily Devotion grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 30 Auust 2015 "Prayer Tip"

Sunday, August 30, 2015

Daily Guide/Daily Devotion grow. pray. study. from The Resurrection United Methodist Church in Leawood, Kansas, United States for Sunday, 30 Auust 2015 "Prayer Tip"

Sunday, 30 August 2015 – "Prayer Tip"
Weekend Sermon Title: A Rushing Mighty Wind
Daily Scripture: Acts 2:1 The festival of Shavu‘ot arrived, and the believers all gathered together in one place. 2 Suddenly there came a sound from the sky like the roar of a violent wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then they saw what looked like tongues of fire, which separated and came to rest on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Ruach HaKodesh and began to talk in different languages, as the Spirit enabled them to speak.
Prayer Tip:
This week in worship, we are going to look at what Christians believe about the Holy Spirit. A few months ago, I got to teach a children’s sermon for my husband’s congregation. Partly out of curiosity, partly to give the kids an impossible challenge, I asked them: “Draw the Holy Spirit.” Some of the kids looked at me with terror in their eyes, others with deep confusion and some joyfully started scribbling on their papers. So what would you draw? Let’s see it:
It’s tough, right? The Holy Spirit, “God with us,” is simultaneously one of the most significant parts of our faith and the most perplexing—on an intellectual level. Coming to have faith and believe in the Holy Spirit comes with a unique set of challenges. Many of us experience fear, doubt, inadequacy and skepticism. When we finally do believe, then comes the challenge of being present and aware enough to sense the Holy Spirit and respond faithfully in this world of distractions and busyness.
Someone helped me understand the Holy Spirit when I was in 8th grade. I remember feeling deeply excited about Christianity when I realized that God is with us in the here-and-now. God’s story is still unfolding. So I came to recognize the Holy Spirit by paying attention to the life happening all around me.
I think this is what the apostle Paul attests to in Acts 17:25; 27-28: “God gives everyone life and breath and everything else…God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. For in him we live and move and have our being.” This passage helped me understand that the Holy Spirit shows up in the ordinary moments in my life. So where have you experienced God’s presence in the here-and-now? This week, may we think and pray about the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives.
P.S. I didn’t want to give my answer away for fear that it might influence your thoughts, but this is the picture I would draw if you asked me to draw the Holy Spirit.