By Pastor Bridget Sheely
Racine/Wykoff/Sumner Center UMC
Peace and Grace to you in the name of our risen savior Jesus Christ! We have just celebrated Pentecost in our Christian calendar year, and what a God-inspired event this day is in the life of Christ followers everywhere.
God brought down the Holy Spirit to fill the disciples with the power of His grace and the image described in Acts chapter 2 is nothing short of miraculous. Acts 2:2-4 (NRSV) says – “2 When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. 2And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. 4All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.”
Just imagine the scene where all of a sudden there is this confusion of many voices speaking at once. This noise of voices fills the air, and you are there trying to make since of what everyone one is saying.
Actually, I don’t think we have to try hard to imagine this kind of noise filled confusion because we live with so much distracting noise to this day. From morning till night, we are bombarded with the noise of our world through, 24-hour news cycles, instance access to social media, work environments, and the list goes on and on.
But as the scripture continues to describe this confusing event one point stands out to me. The people gathered soon learned to block out what they could not understand and center in on the one voice that was clear to them. That is the lesson we all need to be reminded of. With all the noise surrounding us each day how can we gain the skill of silencing what is secondary so we may listen and clearly hear the one voice of most importance? How do you find your way to God each day?
You see friends, the distractions of this world can overwhelm us and make us lose focus on the true purpose of our life which God has gifted to us. He speaks to us each day and it is our duty to find moments where we can step out of this earthly mindset and into the spirit-led call of who we truly belong to. Summer is upon us and we have great opportunities to get away from the electronic noise and maybe take a walk around the neighborhood with God or to sit under a tree with God. How about a nice drive with God or a peaceful moment reading His word. You are His beloved and He yearns to spend time with you.
I encourage you to commit a moment or two each day to finding your gift of grace in the presence of the One whose voice is crying out to you. How about taking a Sunday to worship with others. For you are disserving of the gift of peace His is offering you. And hey! Have a fun faith filled summer season with the One who loves you most.
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