Engaged in the Spirit
Acts 10:34-44
When did you first feel the Holy Spirit fall upon you?
Photo by the author in Bora Bora
Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ-- he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. - Acts 10:34-44
I ask when because all of us who have followed Jesus have been blessed by the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Some, however, may not realize it.
It is like having a special power but not knowing how to use it.
I start each day with these reflections from the day’s readings from Scripture to get myself in the right frame of mind for the day ahead. This is my Holy Spirit wake-up call.
It is not that the Holy Spirit needs to awaken for me, but the other way around. I wake up to the Holy Spirit in my life, and from that moment on, throughout the day, the Spirit guides me.
When I walk in the Spirit, I am more aware of others. I can sense who needs someone to talk to or who is having a difficult day.
The Spirit guides me to engage with them. I do not need to preach or to have anything special to say. Sometimes I say nothing other than hello.
There are times when we don’t feel like engaging with others. These are times when we would prefer to be alone with our thoughts and concerns. This is when the Spirit in us reaches out to the Spirit in someone else, and before we know what is happening, someone approaches and sits beside us, someone who smiles and wishes us a good day.
God doesn’t want us to be alone. He wants to be with us always. We are made from Him, since He is the creator of all, and we were made to be in communion with Him.
We were never meant to be lonely or lost.
Jesus promised to forgive our sins, but he didn’t want to leave us alone to figure out how not to sin again. He gave us the Spirit of God to be a part of our lives. If we choose to rely on that Spirit, we will feel closer to God and closer to one another.
The message is not just about forgiveness. It is about love. God loves all of us, without conditions.
Our challenge is to try to be like God in that regard.
Can we be God’s presence alone? No. But through the Holy Spirit, we can be, and we must.
More to come...