As a bit of background the Festival of Pentecost is traditionally celebrated 50 days after the Passover. It is also known as the Feast of Harvest or Feast of Weeks in Jewish tradition. We know that Jesus was crucified at the Passover and visited his friends over the next 40 days. The events of today’s reading were happening a little over a week after Jesus ascended to heaven telling his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit.
God would make a spectacular entrance this time with a mighty wind and tongues of fire! At a time when the city of Jerusalem was bursting at the seams with visitors coming to celebrate the festival and with a diverse bunch of devout Jews living in the area, God came. The Holy Spirit descended on the believers with an unbelievable pouring of blessing.
When I try to imagine the scene, I do my best to see the magnificent glory that had to take the disciples’ breath away. They were waiting for a mighty king to save their people. Jesus was their king, but he didn’t save their people as expected. To see this outpouring of the Holy Spirit had to be answered prayer. And, they instantly benefited from the gifts! I just get chills when I imagine it, knowing this same Spirit is available to us, living in us, guiding us and gifting us even today.
This passage displays the gift of tongues, that is the ability to speak in another language you have never learned. It was brilliant the Spirit blessed the people in this way. It is one of the many gifts available from the Father. Here, he gave it as a means of communicating with many. These Galileans couldn’t speak but their own language until this beautiful moment. God wanted as many people to hear of his goodness, and to do that, he had to speak their language through his believers. Speaking in tongues, as I understand it, is the way the Spirit uses us to communicate, to pray, to utter God’s message to others for edification, instruction and blessing.
Do you know what your gift from the Holy Spirit is? How are you using it for God?
If you don’t know, ask God? Ask him to pour out his spirit and bless you as he desires. Then listen, wait patiently for him. You can also do one of the many spiritual gifts surveys available. You may be gifted and not even know it! We don’t all have a spectacle of an outpouring like we witness in today’s reading. When we do, it is really something to witness! But not having the fanfare doesn’t make your gift any less important.
The important thing to remember is that you are gifted and meant to use those gifts. My gifts are burning inside me, and I am recharged again and again when I am able to use them for the kingdom. That’s the other really cool thing. God wants us to share our gifts to help bring more people to him. Just like in our reading today. So keep that in mind. These gifts aren’t for us alone, they are to bring others closer to God, into that relationship he so desperately desires with us.
Take time today to ask God to reveal to you, or confirm for you, what your gifts are. Ask him to show you where you can use them.
Let’s pray. Father God, I am so amazed by your wonderful plan for my life and for those in our story today. You don’t promise us a life of tranquility and lack of struggle, but you do promise to be with us, living in us, drawing us closer to you. That is a gift of peace all in itself. I thank you for the gifts you have given me and the opportunities you lay before me to use them. I look forward to each opportunity that you use me for your kingdom. Help others discover and use their gifts. It is why we are here. Make it clear to me where you would like me to be using them. I want to be in your will. In Jesus’ name. Amen.
