And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. (Acts 2:1)
Heavenly Father:
When the day of Pentecost (the Feast of the 50 Days) had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
When the day of Pentecost (the Feast of the 50 Days) had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit was giving them utterance. (Acts 2:1-4)
When the day of Pentecost (the Feast of the 50 Days) had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly there came from heaven a noise like a violent rushing wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire distributing themselves, and they rested on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit was giving them utterance.
Now there were Jews living in Jerusalem, devout men from every nation under heaven. And when this sound occurred, the crowd came together, and were bewildered because each one of them was hearing them speak in his own language. They were amazed and astonished, saying, “Why, are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we each hear them in our own language to which we were born? ... We hear them in our own languages speaking of the mighty deeds of God.” (Acts 2: 5-11)
Heavenly Father:
What is this accord with which those first apostles met in Zion's Upper Room?
Was it the oneness of shared memory,
that in this very space
Jesus broke the blessed bread
and passed around the covenant cup?
Was it the oneness of camaraderie,
that Christ had passed through those stone walls
and witnessed doubting Thomas probe His wounds?
Was it the oneness of shared duty,
that they obeyed the Lord's command
to wait for promised power to see Him
on the move again?
So help us to remember,
draw us closer to you and to each other,
help us obey, that we may be ready for the Spirit's surprises.
Amen.
Tuesday
Heavenly Father:
Your Word has always pointed to Jesus.
More than a millennium before our Savior's birth, You gave the Feast of Passover
to signify the coming Lamb of God whose sacrifice
would save your children from death,
the exact day on which Jesus died.
You gave the ancient Hebrews the Feast of First Fruits,
celebrated the first day after Passover Sabbath,
the very day on which our Lord arose from the grave,
the first fruits of them that sleep.
The Law required the Harvest Feast fifty days after Passover,
the exact day you gave your Holy Spirit on Pentecost
and began your harvest of the elect,
3000 that very first day.
Help us see in your Word not merely Law, but Grace,
not arbitrary demands, but opportunities to be drawn closer
to your perfect plan for us all in Jesus.
Inspire us to read and study and inwardly digest your holy Word
that we might know how to serve you,
how to pray for others,
and how to live faithfully in these uncertain days.
We thank you that your Word is forever true,
and that all your promises are Yes in Christ Jesus,
in whose name we pray, Amen.
Wednesday
Heavenly Father,
It's that word "suddenly," noise like a tornado, flames like fire roiling overhead;
I would have panicked and probably thought myself a hero to get everyone outside.
But your true heroes seem nonplussed, almost like they expected something like this.
They stayed put and discovered something extraordinary -- that they had been changed.
Forgive us, Lord, for thinking your power can be confined to any man-made box,
whether liturgy or tradition.
Somehow, get through to us with your repeated Word,
"Do not be afraid,"
"Do not to be anxious about anything,
but in everything to make our needs known to you."
So, this we do, imperfectly, but guided we know by that same Spirit
who lit the world from that first house fellowship.
Give us confidence in our uncertain times,
that you are moving mightily in the things that might frighten greater minds
and cause faithless souls to tremble.
You are a great God. You do great things.
You are sovereign in your control of our lives.
You are love and mercy out of control.
Suddenly.
Suddenly.
Amen.
Thursday
(Acts 2:1-4)
Heavenly Father:
Thank you that you gave put your Spirit within us,
connecting us to rivers of life that flow from your throne.
Thank you that we have the evidence of our Pentecost
in our growing ability to trust in Jesus,
in our deepening love for others called to abiding faith,
in our developing desire to do your will,
in our struggling obedience to your Word,
in our nascent power to resist evil,
in our continuing confidence that you answer prayer.
In all these ways you demonstrate your claim upon our lives.
We are humbled to know that because you have called us,
you have justified us,
and you will make good on your promise to sanctify and glorify us.
We are flesh and not spirit, so it is hard for us to comprehend
your Spirit's residence in us.
But we thank you for the Pentecost witness we have, without which,
we could not trust,
we could not obey,
we could not resist,
we could not overcome.
Free us to speak openly and boldly of the measure of power you have granted us,
and keep us always in your grace and mercy,
for the praise of Jesus,
now and forever. Amen.
Friday
Heavenly Father:
You gave signs and wonders when you sent your Holy Spirit upon those first Christians.
For us, not so much -- baptismal dunk or water sprinkled, words of confirmation.
But your miracles are not for believers, but for by-standers;
to capture attention,
to bewilder,
to amaze,
in short, to break the pattern of the mundane
and confirm there's more here than we can explain, control or predict.
Forgive us, Lord, for making our worship of you so predictable,
so conforming to man-made standards
that we miss the power,
the surprise,
the joyful surrender
that accompanies your grace.
Those first believers started Pentecost day as devoted people
but were transformed by your Spirit into declaimers of mighty acts.
So, rescue us from works of our so-called devotion
so that we may cease the struggle to to live for you
and begin the adventure of living from you.
Amen.
