Dear saints,
I wonder if you’ve ever noticed what I noticed for the first time this week — that the story of the Day of Pentecost, with all of its wild winds and tongues of fire, has one thing conspicuously absent: fear. In the Bible, when the heavens touch the earth through the arrival of angels or utterances of the divine voice, a line that often follows is ‘do not be afraid’. Not so with the disciples and the coming of the Holy Spirit. For me, this is a wonderful testament to the fact that when people of faith encounter the Spirit it is not fear that fills their hearts but hope.
Such is our gift to offer to the world around us right now. Understandably, many people remain fearful of getting sick or simply of what the future may hold for them. We may also wonder what church will be like after all of this time away. Yet to be people of the Spirit is to be people who trust that all of this is God’s work so why be fearful? I pray that you may know that same Spirit of Pentecost arrive on the doorstep of your life in the weeks to come. She’s all we’ll ever need to be the church, in this present time of challenge and evermore.
Peace,
Simon+
