Dugout Devotions | Do you like surpises?
Ask your kids if they have ever noticed that many of us have a routine, whether at school, home, on the field, or at church. Ask them if they like to sit in the same spot at school, on the bench, or at lunch.
At church, we tend to sit in the same spot every week. If this was true for you, share with your kids what it was like. For much of my childhood, I sat in the third row on the lectern side in the sanctuary of Calvary United Methodist Church. Church can feel like a well-worn routine.
We know what will happen next in the liturgy. The words may change or a pastor might add an extra song along the way, but for the most part, the service does not change too much.
We know what will happen before and after the service. Before the service, we will make small talk and ask people things like, “How was your week?” After the service, we will grab a snack and say, “See ya’ next Sunday,” or, “We’ll miss next week because we have a game.”
Ask your kids what they do not like to change. Encourage them to think about the things in their lives that rarely change. How might they feel if everyone sat at different spots at the dinner table tonight? Would they feel confused? What if the location of the meal changed from the dinner table to the garage?
Explain that at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit broke through the routine of the earliest Christians. The first followers of Jesus were gathered to do what they had been doing since Jesus’s ascension, namely praying and worshiping. Then the Holy Spirit - like a rush of wind - gave them each something to say in a different language. The onlookers didn’t know what they were saying or doing, but the followers of Jesus were able to understand one another perfectly.
The early followers of Jesus were waiting and praying for God to do something. They did not know what God was going to do, but they knew God because Jesus had promised them and would not leave them alone.
The surprises of God are the best kind of surprises. God’s surprises change the way we understand the world. God’s surprises change the way we understand God. God’s surprises are always the best kind of surprises because they begin from and end at a place of love. God’s surprises are a means of grace, meaning God’s surprises are one of the ways we remember that God loves us.
Pentecost is the story of how God breaks into our lives, and when God jumps into action, we can expect the best kind of surprises.
Consider these questions with your children":
Can you think of a routine you follow every day, like where you sit at school or during meals at home? How do you feel if that routine changes?
Have you ever received a surprise that made you really happy? How did it change your day or make you feel special?
What do you think it felt like for the followers of Jesus when the Holy Spirit came to them in such a surprising way? How do you think you would have felt if you were there?
Can you think of a time when something unexpected happened that showed you how much God loves you? How did it change the way you felt about God?
How can you share the love of God's surprises with others? What are some ways you can show kindness and love to your friends and family, especially when they might need a happy surprise?
Pray this prayer with your children: Dear God, thank you for Pentecsot. Thank you for surprising us in the best possible way. Help me to be excited when you surprise me. And help your surprises be a way for me to share your love with others. We will talk to you later. Amen.