Liz’s Morning Devotional: Scripture selected from Upper Room
October 27, 2022
Read Acts of the Apostles 2:1-13
1 When Pentecost Day arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 Suddenly a sound from heaven like the howling of a fierce wind filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 They saw what seemed to be individual flames of fire alighting on each one of them. 4 They were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages as the Spirit enabled them to speak. 5 There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd gathered. They were mystified because everyone heard them speaking in their native languages. 7 They were surprised and amazed, saying, “Look, aren’t all the people who are speaking Galileans, every one of them? 8 How then can each of us hear them speaking in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; as well as residents of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the regions of Libya bordering Cyrene; and visitors from Rome (both Jews and converts to Judaism), 11 Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own languages!” 12 They were all surprised and bewildered. Some asked each other, “What does this mean?” 13 Others jeered at them, saying, “They’re full of new wine!”
Good Morning, Hallelujah! Thine the Glory! Hallelujah! Amen!
To be filled with the Holy Spirit means being filled with love. Love is the universal language through which God binds us together. Where there is love, there is no need for words. You can see love in the eyes, the very being, of those who come together in God’s name. There is a quote that I have always liked: “Where words music, music speaks.” We also have the Scripture in Romans 8:26: “Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that the very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words.”
As we think of all these ways to speak without words, I marvel at this passage where everyone spoke in languages so that all might understand the message from God. I have been in a few situations where no one was speaking “my” language. It is a very uncomfortable feeling, but as I listened, I yearned for being able to pick out a known word from the utterances of those speaking around me. Finally, I heard a word that I knew, and I relaxed and no longer felt as if I were alone.
God speaks to us in our language so that we can understand. I believe that God speaks through words, but also through the marvels of nature that surround us. I hear God in the wind that whispers through the trees and in the rush of the waves upon the shore. I hear God in the cries of a baby and in the groans of those who can no longer speak. To hear God’s message, we must be purposely listening. Hallelujah!
Gracious God, Thank You for loving us. We become so busy that we forget to listen to you. Revive us so that we are ready to hear! In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen
Thought for the day: “Hallelujah” is a word that unites us in praise to God.
Listen! Pastor Liz
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