Pentecost...

"By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive." (John 7:39a)

When I say Pentecost what do you think of?  The Sunday everyone wheres red? Being the one who has to read all the names, and countries, in Acts 2?   The rushing wind, and fire, in Acts 2?  The dove descending on Jesus at his baptism?  The symbols - fire, wind, dove - used for people to think about the Holy Spirit?  Today is the day we celebrate Pentecost which is why I'm asking the question.....

The reading, in Acts, is about Peter standing up to answer the questions of the people gathered together asking questions.  There is the wind, and the fire, described on, around and in each of the disciples.  There is the ability of each of them to be able to speak in languages the people gathered can understand.  There is the description, in 1 Corinthians, of how we can all work together as one body, like the disciples in Acts 2, to help others understand God's love.  Jesus is pointing out, in John 7, the gift of the Spirit, to help each of us who are "thirsty for more" to be filled.  The Holy Spirit filling us, to overflowing, giving us strength.

In "Dynamite Prayer" (that we read back during Lent) the Greek word for the Spirit is given - dunamis.  We get our word "dynamite" from this word.  The POWER of the Holy Spirit!  Being filled to overflowing with the POWER of the Holy Spirit!  Is this what we think of?  Can we think of it this way?  Definitely something to think about.........