At the end of the Scriptures, we get a vision for the end of the story, where all is restored and redeemed. In that moment we see all creatures, saints, and angels respond in worship. In this activity we want to spend time visualizing that moment and reflecting on it.

Today, we find ourselves in undesirable circumstances: pandemic, divided nation, racial injustice, economic uncertainty, and isolation. What’s amazing about Acts 16 is their orientation toward God, not their setting and an orientation toward revival not their own deliverance. This is a powerful freedom.

When Jesus says to the paralyzed man: “You’re forgiven”. It’s hard to miss friends who believed, as others did, that Jesus was able to transform. It’s also hard to miss what was certainly disappointment when Jesus didn’t see the man as paralyzed, but saw him primarily in need of forgiveness.

In Nehemiah, we see the people respond the the voice and presence of God by confessing to God, who they are, what they’ve done, and what they have done as a people (as a community). In this exercise, you’ll walk through a simple practice of communal confession.

In a time of such isolation, confusion, and rampant reminders of the brokenness of the world, I've found this story of Jesus (Mark 1:40-45) a deep encouragement because it is an invitation to Jesus to not just solve a problem, but to transform our very existence and make us whole.