January 24 – Devotional

Scripture Reading: Acts 2:1-12

Key Verses: There were pious Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. – Acts 2:5, CEB

The second Checkpoint noted by the authors of Future-Focused Church is Modeling the Ethnic and Cultural Diversity of God’s Kingdom. First Houston United Methodist Church is one of the most racially diverse United Methodist churches in the city, but there are still strides to make in order to become more diverse, more reflective of God’s Kingdom. In addition to ethnic and cultural diversity, diversity comes in other forms such as language, socioeconomic status, and ability (physical, mental, and emotional). Sometimes we forget that all people are made in God’s image, and we fail to see people who, because of their differences or circumstances, live on the fringe of society. We serve a God who sees everyone as deserving of His grace and mercy and seeks to draw them close to Him. May we see everyone through God’s eyes and love them as He does.

Pray: 

• What do you envision when you think of a fully-inclusive, diverse church? Where do you see diversity in First Houston United Methodist Church? Where do you see gaps?

• What are some steps our church can take in the coming months to further embrace and expand diversity to better reflect God’s Kingdom?

Listen: With open eyes, ears, and heart, listen for God to speak to you now and throughout the day.

Share: You can share your thoughts where you feel best. You can share your thoughts in your printed devotional booklet, you can share below in the comments,  you can share a comment on our Facebook page, or you can share a comment on the First Houston United Methodist Church App by following the Daily Devotionals Channel.