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.
Lord Jesus,
We expect you to come gently into our lives,
like a baby born in Bethlehem,
like a king of peace riding on a donkey,
like a lamb silent before the slaughter.
But on this day you surprise us,
even scare us coming as a violent rushing tornadic wind.
Language barriers are shattered, like glass windows.
Social expectations are torn, brick from brick.
Radical in breaking.
Transformation.
Upheaval,
Disorientation.
Change has come so fast,
we are paralyzed by fear.
Forgive us for being afraid
of the power of your grace.
Forgive us for not grasping
just how earth-changing your love is for ALL.
Forgive us for being timid
in the face of the Spirit's awesome power.
It all reminds me of the process of giving birth.
Surely the infant was most comfortable in the womb,
but its very survival
and the survival of the mother requires birth to take place.
Birth is painful, hard.
Things are torn, stretched, pushed, pulled, cut.
And then the moment of first breath.
Breathe.
The first critical milestone of life.
Breathe.
O Spirit,
Breathe on me breath of God
Fill me with life anew.
That I may love with Thou dost love.
And do what wouldst do.
Amen.
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