Fall afresh on me

Yesterday morning at church we sang ‘Spirit of the Living God.’ I like that tune - it’s a nice, calming, accessible melody, and it conveys a sense of peace and tranquility.

So imagine my surprise when the pastor began his sermon with the statement “that’s a great song, but it’s nothing like it happened in Acts 2.”  And after reading through Acts 2:2-3, I can certainly see his point:

Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting.  They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. (Acts 2:2-3, NIV)

That was no gentle breeze that day! And really, it shouldn’t surprise us at all. God has manifested himself in fire and wind before, and for the most part, it’s always been in a fairly dramatic fashion. Take, for instance, how He spoke to Moses in a burning bush; how He led the people of Israel with a whirlwind by day and a column of fire by night. As the pastor pointed out, God uses fire to show how He is taking his people in a brand new direction. And what a significant change of direction it was, to have the Holy Spirit fill the believers that day at Pentecost! From this point forward, God would inhabit his people in a supernatural way.

With the knowledge that God inhabits us through His spirit, we should be filled with hope. I mean, what problem do we encounter in a day, what unnerving situation do we face, what pain or hardship do we have that can’t be overcome with the very God of the universe living in us!

So the next time you encounter one of those trials, take heart - the very same God who came to Peter and the others that day in such a powerful, mighty way, now resides in YOU! Think about that today, and rejoice!