When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting.  Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them.  All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.

(Acts 2:1-4)

This Sunday we celebrate Pentecost!  50 days after Easter.  It is the birthday of the church.  The day we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit!

I love the Pentecost story found in Acts 2.  As I read it, I like to put myself in the story, somewhere in the crowd that experienced the phenomenal events on that day.  I imagine what it would have been like to hear Peter speaking in a language that each of us understood all at the same time.  To feel the fierce wind blow through the gathering place and experience the calm that filled the space.  Then to suddenly see the flames that looked like tongues of fire landing on the heads of the Apostles.  What a spectacle! 

I love Pentecost!  I love the imagery, and the pageantry associated with this holy day.  I also love that we talk about the Holy Spirit…the indwelling God, a vital part of the Trinity.  The Holy Spirit is described as our helper, comforter, counselor, and advocate.  The Spirit is God in us, equipping us and empowering us in our daily lives as we seek to follow Jesus. But, I think what I love most about the Spirit…the Spirit is unpredictable!  The Spirit comes upon the crowd gathered that day as a violent wind and as tongues of fire!  Yet the Spirit also comes in the quiet and stillness of the moment after the chaos.

The Spirit is the Ruach Adonia, the breath of God, that dwells within us, filling us, giving us life.  The Spirit fills us with knowledge and reminds us of all that Jesus taught.  It is the Spirit that fills us and enables us to live our lives filled with love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness and self-control.  May we breathe deeply, filling our lungs with the Breath of God present in all we do, and all we are.

I am looking forward to Sunday as we celebrate Pentecost.  Don’t forget to wear red, which is the color of the day!

Blessings,
Pastor Jenni

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him,
so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.

(Romans 15:13)