Reading:
When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, "Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language?"Acts 2.1-8
Reflection:
On the day of Pentecost, God sent the Holy Spirit as Helper and Comforter, and enabled the disciples to proclaim – in different languages – the wonders of God, so that people from all nations could understand.
This shows us that the Spirit of God is present for every situation. When we share our faith with our friends, we can ask the Spirit to help us 'translate' the good news of God's love so that they can understand how it affects them in their situation.
At Pentecost we remember that the Holy Spirit is living in us. Let's not get too used to that amazing fact! What a privilege we have. The Spirit awakens us to the love God has for us and helps us to love others.
Prayer:
Holy Spirit, thank you that you are living in me, showing me God's love and helping me share that love with others.
Action:
The next time you have an opportunity to talk about your faith, consciously remind yourself that the Holy Spirit lives within you.
Adapted for website and FaceBook purposes from material written by Thelma Commey (Methodist Youth President 2019/2020)