2 minute read.
Daily Reading: 2 Kings 23:31-25:30 ESV, Acts 22:17-23:10 ESV, Psalm 2:1-12 ESV, Proverbs 18:13 ESV
Daily Verse: “When I had returned to Jerusalem and was praying in the temple, I fell into a trance.” (Acts 22:17 ESV)
EKSTASIS (1611): “Is, lit., a standing out and was said of any displacement, and especially, with reference to the mind, of that alteration of the normal condition by which the person is thrown into a state of surprise or fear, or both; or again, in which a person is so transported out of his natural state that he falls into a trance.”[i]
Transported out.
Paul, praying in the temple, falls into a trance. Transported from his physical surroundings mentally, Paul’s connection to God at this moment transcends him into the spiritual realm. Communing with God can do that sometimes.
We talked about finding wholeness in life by turning ordinary things into prayer in a recent prayer component meeting. Practicing daily connection with God will draw you into a more profound relationship. The small things in life become the big things as you discuss them with God, transporting life to another dimension.
Divine tasks.
In other words, including God in the mundane parts of our day creates continuous conversation and spiritual transformation. For Paul, praying in the temple occurred regularly. Devout in his beliefs both pre- and post-Christ, Paul felt comfortable within the building’s walls. But the regular practice led to Paul’s transformative relationship with Jesus.
In today’s world, folding clothes becomes an opportunity to pray for the person who owns them. Washing dishes becomes an act of worship, serving the ones you love. Planning schedules becomes conversations with God about your time. Turning ordinary into extraordinary happens when we include Jesus.
Begin a conversation with God today. Include Jesus in the monotonous routines of life, turning them into an opportunity to connect with your Creator and others. Praying transforms your life, transporting you out of the ordinary into the extraordinary.
[i] Strong, J., & Strong, J. (2010). The New Strong’s expanded exhaustive concordance of the Bible. Greek Dictionary of the New Testament (p. 82) Thomas Nelson
