Listen

Peter stood with the other eleven apostles. He raised his voice and declared, “Judeans and everyone living in Jerusalem! Know this! Listen carefully to my words! These people aren’t drunk, as you suspect; after all, it’s only nine o’clock in the morning! Rather, this is what was spoken through the prophet Joel:

In the last days, God says, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy. Your young will see visions. Your elders will dream dreams. Even upon my servants, men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. I will cause wonders to occur in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and a cloud of smoke. The sun will be changed into darkness, and the moon will be changed into blood, before the great and spectacular day of the Lord comes. And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Acts 2:14-21

Think

The sun is not even up and the kitchen is abuzz. Grandma is cooking up pancakes, Grandpa is making coffee, Mom and Dad are already outside loading up the trucks. Our job as kids is to get our gear ready for a long day.

It’s harvest time. Days in the field are a minimum of 14 hours and longer if there is equipment to repair. Every person in the family is expected to pull their weight. Age, gender, even a bum shoulder does not change the expectation that everyone does their part.

“I will pour out my Spirit on all people.” Sons, daughters, youth, elders, men and women — the Spirit dwells in each of us. There have been times and places where it’s been assumed that the Spirit is only with a few. Yet the prophet Joel is clear that the Spirit is with EACH one of us. When we fail to recognize that, we limit not only others but also the work of the Spirit.

The invitation for us is to seek the Spirt in all of God’s children and encourage others to do likewise.

Brian Prior

Pray

Thank you, God, for gifting each of us regardless.

Help me to make sure that all those in my life know their gifts are acknowledged and useful.

Amen.

Go

Seek ways this day that you may share your gifts of the Holy Spirit and affirm others to do likewise!