Look back. Live forward.

 

Acts 28:23-31

Reflection is looking back to live forward. You learn to look back on life experiences, good or bad, to appreciate what they meant to you. To understand their impact on who you were then and who you are now. But you don't have to only think of big experiences. John Wesley's Holy Club had a list of 22 questions they reflected on at the end of each day. We also reflect on what we hear and read in scripture or about God's word. You could spend money on Bible study curriculum. But what if people in our churches took more time to reflect on each week's sermon instead? Looking back, reflecting, on scripture teaches us to notice more of the Spirit's voice. The more we reflect, the more Bible reading becomes more than Bible reading. Reflection helps us find the intersection between scripture's message and our walk with God. That is, as much as the Bible speaks to us, it has spoken to many generations before us. We have lessons to learn and truth to discover like all saints of God have. In the final chapter of Acts, the apostle Paul met with a group of Jewish leaders. He wanted to see and speak with them and they wanted to hear from him. After sharing with the leaders "from morning until evening," the inevitable happened. "Some were convinced by what he said, while others refused to believe." That's the reality of sharing the gospel. Some people receive it and others do not. Paul had one final thing to say to the leaders as they were leaving. He quoted the prophet Isaiah, but notice how he introduced the passage. He said, "The Holy Spirit was right in saying to your ancestors." The apostle offered his hearers a chance to reflect on a word they knew. A word spoken to their ancestors. Isaiah spoke to a previous generation, but, through the Holy Spirit, those words were speaking to Paul's audience that day. And through the same Holy Spirit, as we learn to reflect on what we read, those words can speak to us today. Stay blessed...john