2021 | Divine Encounters
We spent 2020 focusing on the theme Sacred Spaces and the revelation that this is holy ground. But in 2021 we narrowed in more closely to individual people and a specific encounter they had with the Divine.
Our theme for 2021: Divine Encounters.
We chose the word ‘Divine’ because the Bible tells us stories of numerous encounters individuals had directly with God’s audible voice and tangible presence, an angel or messenger of God, Jesus, or the Holy Spirit. Indeed, there are many ways an individual encounters the Divine but the result is always the same – an indelible mark, a lasting change, a deeper revelation.
As much as we’re able, we’ll try and understand the circumstances of this individual’s life when they had their Divine Encounter in order to find similarities between our experiences and theirs. Our hope is that we will discover that Divine Encounters are not limited to specific holy people but are initiated by God on our behalf, no matter how qualified we think we are.
We begin the year with the very first Divine Encounter in the Bible – God and Adam in the Garden of Eden. Each month thereafter we studied a different encounter, some in the Old Testament and some in the New Testament. Some of these individuals are well-known pillars of faith, and some of them would not even have considered themselves “people of God” to begin with. Nevertheless, each individual leaves their encounter with God changed.
How will the Divine encounter you this year? How will you encounter the Divine?