It will be May 27th when the Easter season ends, and Pentecost is upon us. Can you imagine the lives of the apostles and other disciples during this time? They lived in doubt and promise, emptiness and anticipated fullness, they lived waiting, day by day, for the gift that Jesus promised them.
Today we live in anticipation of a renewed relationship with Christ. We live hoping, waiting, and sometimes accepting. I say "sometimes" because all too many Christians fail to see the Holy Spirit working in our world today. Many of us hold off accepting the indwelling of the Holy Spirit until some magical day in an undiscerning future. But, brothers and sisters, it is here, now...the kingdom of God.
I suggest that the gifts of the Holy Spirit were given for us all, NOT just the apostles and the 70 +/- in the upper room. Further, I suggest that God listens and acts as we faithfully request and command. Oh...how so many fail to ask...to command...in the name of Jesus, today. Rather, we humbly supplicate when we should be confidently commanding. If we have the nerve to step back and observe...we wimp out.
In the healing ministry, one has to accept that Christ is at work in this world today, through the Holy Spirit. As true descendants of those who were given the gifts by virtue of baptism and laying upon of hands, we have the right to claim that power and lineage. But we don't. We hesitate. We shudder at the very thought that we have the power and ability to call upon God to work at our behest. It takes confidence...and nerve.
I confess that all too often I fail to act in confidence. I wimp out and supplicate. Lord, help me to not supplicate, rather, to command. For it is in confidence that You are present among us through Your Holy Spirit. May I call upon You to work in situations where nothing else works, and You deliver!
The church came to life at Pentecost Sunday, and may I (we) be confident in calling upon You!
4 comments:
Amen! I think that goes for all of us :-)
I was reading over at Mark H's blog and it gave me a startling surprise with the idea of commanding, rather than supplicating, and you're just building on it. I'm so glad to be able to glean off both of you.
I'll second that Amen.
Mark, Flyaway, Tn,
Thanks for the comments. Isn't it challenging to accept our inheritance? We're bold, and at the same time meek. I grow to believe that through our meekness we become bold. At least that's what I'm struggling with. A connundrum of sorts, but one worth wallowing in till the obvious surfaces in each and every Christian.
Marty
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