Pentecost, a new beginning

“On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he breathed on them and said “Receive the Holy Spirit.”                            

John 20:19-22 

After that Jesus was taken up before their eyes, just before he had said “wait for the gift that my Father will give you”. We then have a bunch of young people gathered together waiting for God to do something. What or when or how? They did not know. They had already received the Holy Spirit into their lives, they had already seen the risen Lord, they had already experienced his peace, they had    already been commissioned, but it was time to wait. The joy of Easter had passed, the confirmation of all their dreams had come true, Jesus had risen from the dead. Now was the day after the biggest event in history, but the call was to wait. The call was to BE together in prayer, BE together with God.

On Pentecost, while they were waiting, probably praying, sharing stories, breaking bread, singing, they were suddenly filled by the Holy Spirit. Something around and in them changed. Had they not received the Holy Spirit before? Was God’s presence not with them while they were waiting? Of course He was with them. But they experienced new gifts, new depths in that relationship, there was more to life and ministry than they had been aware of. In biblical terms, they were invited to deeper waters, a whole new world of experiencing and sharing the presence of God.

As followers of Jesus we can many times become stagnant, passive, comfortable and stop searching for those deeper waters. Stop spending time waiting, praying, fasting, and developing spiritual disciplines to be more aware of God’s presence. We can miss out on the adventure that discipleship is all about. As we remember these amazing events that happened 2,000 years ago, let’s pray “God repeat them through us”, let’s pursue His presence, that’s what the abundant life is all about!                         

Nico