All In 8

 “They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, to the fellowship, to the breaking of bread, and to prayer.”

Acts‬ ‭2‬:‭42‬ ‭

After attending a recent funeral of a respected 94 year old relative, and after discussing some aspects of the funeral with a long term church goer, I came away thinking where have we gone wrong in the way churches have taught us to be excited for the kingdom work happening now and expectant to see Christ’s return. I’m not sure why I came away disturbed by the ho hum attitude (my interpretation) of what Jesus taught. The disciples and early church participants devoted themselves to fellowship, communion, and prayer. There is a bit of enthusiasm i that verse.  Google says  common synonyms of devotion are allegiance, fidelity, loyalty, and piety. While all these words mean "faithfulness to something to which one is bound by pledge or duty," devotion stresses zeal and service amounting to self-dedication.  At the funeral lunch, I heard many voice complaints about funeral details, politics, how hot it was in the room, the weather, or facts about family history. I’m over dramatizing this but there were very few who voiced excitement and passion for the verses quotes from John 14 or 1 Thessalonians 4:13-14

[13] But we do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, about those who are asleep, that you may not grieve as others do who have no hope. [14] For since we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so, through Jesus, God will bring with him those who have fallen asleep.

It occurred to me that many church goers are discouraged and far too accepting of a ‘that is the way we do life’ mentality. I think Jesus wants us to wake up, look for the kingdom, be excited for what God is doing, share what we are learning from God’s word, how are we growing in our fellowship with each other, or what prayers have we voices to our Father. I hope you and I live on purpose to love our Father deeply, to be intentionally grateful for what God is teaching us, and live on purpose with no regrets.