I am always amazed at the power of the wind; it can do great damage in the form of hurricanes and tornadoes, yet it also provides much-needed electricity and dries our clothes on a breezy day. There is nothing like the smell of bedsheets fresh off the wash line!
Jesus’ followers were waiting with patience for the Holy Spirit to arrive. When the Spirit appeared, did they truly know what was happening?
How often do we acknowledge the winds of the Holy Spirit in our lives? Do we wait with patience, or do we resist the Spirit’s presence in our lives? When we allow the winds of the Spirit to work within our lives, we see the world differently. We feel love instead of hate, community instead of individuality, and promise instead of deceit.
Those watching in our reading believed that the disciples were under the influence of new wine. Peter passionately explained that this was the Holy Spirit that God had declared, giving us new life.
Ever-present God, let your Spirit of truth abide in us so that we may live in hope and grow in faith, trusting in your promise of love and grace. Amen. —