After nearly six months of preparation and anticipation, our mission team departs this afternoon for eighteen days in Kenya. In Acts 4:29-30, we are given a prayer for boldness that many of us have worn as a wristband since they were distributed last June. If you still have yours, you might wear it these next eighteen days as a prayerful reminder of our mission team. The words from the prayer that I hold today are these from verse 30: “stretch out your hand to heal and to perform signs and wonders through the name of your servant Jesus.” (Tomorrow’s posting will find us in the air over Africa.)

Today’s Bible readings: Genesis 6-8 and Luke 3.

From bad to worse: have you ever been there – watching someone, even yourself move from bad behavior to even worse when you thought it could never get any worse? That’s what God was seeing. Why doesn’t God do something? Well, this is the story of what happens when God, who created humans with the ability to choose, does something. And God finds one man…

(Note in Genesis 8:1 – “wind” – once again, this is the Hebrew word for Spirit. The “breath” of God renews creation.)

In Luke 3, we see God working to redeem humanity through John who is “preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins.” Then John meets a force of evil (Herod) greater than himself, but not before God calls forth God’s own flesh and blood. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, Jesus’ ministry begins. (boldness)