“Earth, Wind, and Fire”

Acts 2: 4 “All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit”

Earth, wind, and fire. No, I’m not referring to the R&B group popular in the 70’s, but the celebration of Pentecost. For Christians, Pentecost refers to the 50th day after Easter when the Holy Spirit came upon the earth to the first followers of Jesus through the rush of wind and tongues of fire. Pentecost is also celebrated as the “birth”day of the church. This story in the Bible is filled with wonder and mystery and a little bit of humour. The people who experienced the breath of God upon them could suddenly talk together even though they spoke different languages and their neighbours thought they were all drunk!

Sometimes there is just no logical explanation for the way God works in our lives and being “filled with the Holy Spirit” is one of those mysteries. Some people describe the Holy Spirit as a feeling of conviction about something, of being aware of your conscience, of discerning a call to action, or having a sense of peace. No matter how we experience the Holy Spirit, we know that God has given us an advocate and equipped us to be the church, even in these unusual times. Thanks be to God.