SHADYSIDE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

Sovereign Lord, these words were spoken by Gamaliel, a respected Jewish leader.  At the time, he was trying to calm down a religious mob that was determined to persecute the apostles.  Even though Gamaliel disagreed with the apostles’ teaching, he had enough humility to realize that there is more to you than he knew.

May we also have such humility.  There are so many expressions of religious faith, all making such certain truth claims.  Few of us are interested in listening for echoes of your Holy Spirit in the voices of those who are not on our team.

You are never captured by religion.  So break through our sincere efforts at organizing, rationalizing, and ideologizing what we know of you, for our souls have always yearned for an encounter with your uncontrollable holiness.

Please, just keep startling us.  Amen.