Narrative Lectionary Key Verse for Today
“While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”
NL Daily Devotion for Tuesday, April 27, 2021
by R. M. Fergus, Clergy Stuff
Said to whom, I wonder? Did everyone present hear the Holy Spirit’s directive? Did one or another of them have that conviction and then found out that another one did, too? It sounds as though the message didn’t come directly to Saul and Barnabas, because it refers to them in the third person. It’s a mysterious little passage.
It makes me wonder about how we hear the Holy Spirit speaking in our communities. When we share together in Bible study or other small group discussion, we often find that different people hear similar things from texts, but as often, we find that different people hear different things based on their own experiences. That’s why it’s critical that we dig into God’s word in groups, rather than just alone. And why we worship together and then go to coffee hour to dissect the sermon…you know…sometimes. I think that when we’re open to others’ thoughts and ideas, it’s much easier to hear the Holy Spirit speaking to the whole community.
How does the experience of others inform my understanding of the Holy Spirit’s call in my life?
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