Pentecost

I know it's already past (May 27th this year), but I've been thinking about it and meant to write about it earlier.

I love the Biblical festivals. They all find fulfillment in Christ, and it's like finding the pearl of great value, for which one sells all he has. Christ is proclaimed and foretold in every Old Testament book and I love finding His story in places I had previously missed it.

I am part of a church tradition that doesn't emphasize the Biblical feasts and festivals. I long to celebrate these with other Christians, but until then, I make it a little mission to inform those around me of the significance of the days. So when Pentecost came this year, I asked the women of the Sunday morning class I teach, "What was the most important day in the history of the world?" Eventually, they tracked with me and said they thought the day Jesus came to the planet. The second most important? His resurrection. Okay, how about the third? We got to Pentecost. And that's when I told them that that Sunday morning WAS Pentecost. The Spirit who moved so powerfully almost 2000 years ago is still active in the lives of Christians.

Every year on Pentecost I pray for revival. I pray that the Spirit will come in power into our churches and do a mighty work. I pray for hearts that will respond to Him. I pray for ears that will hear. (My own included.)

This year was no different. I prayed all through the morning assembly. Later, I was back for the evening assembly, and I continued that prayer. In the morning, we are a large group, and we meet in the CLC (Christain Living Center, aka the gym). In the evening, there aren't as many we so meet in the auditorium, which is older, more beautiful and has better acoustics.

I always love the auditorium because the singing is better. But Pentecost Sunday it was absolutely beautiful. As I sang and listened to the sweet voices around me, I realized that the Spirit was there, continuing to do His work. A couple of people later commented on the singing that day. God and I know what's up. It was Pentecost.

Just think, if we all humbled ourselves, if we truly submitted our lives to the One we call Lord, if we prayed fervently for revival, if we expected the Spirit...can you imagine how different the world would be?