I Missed Pentecost

Actually, I missed Pentecost TWICE! How is that possible? Pentecost was May 27. I was visiting my Mom and her church didn't sing any songs about the Holy Spirit that Sunday. Hilldale enjoyed the music ministry of Geron Davis (and he is Pentecostal) so maybe that counts as a "Pentecost" service.

Then yesterday, as I was driving to church I was listening to the classical music station and noticed that the songs they were playing had the phrase "spiritus sanctus" in them. There were several short pieces in a row and each had that phrase. Now, I'm no Latin scholar, but I DO know that "spiritus sanctus" means "Holy Spirit."

You may not know this, but the Greek Orthodox Churches and I think maybe the Russian Orthodox Churches often have a different Sunday for Easter - which therefore dictates that they have a different Sunday for Pentecost. So when I got to church yesterday morning I "googled" "date for Orthodox Pentecost" and sure enough - it was yesterday.

So I missed Pentecost twice! I would have sung songs about the Holy Spirit yesterday. I think it is important. Southern Baptists seem to have a knack for ignoring things they don't want to deal with or that make them appear to be followers of a different denomination. We miss out on many good church traditions that other denominations enjoy so we won't look "too Catholic" or whatever.

We end up ignoring the Holy Spirit so we won't look Pentecostal - afraid people will then expect us to speak in tongues.

We should not do this. The Holy Spirit is the One who is God's presence and God's power in us.

I love these verses that talk about how we are sealed in Christ by the Spirit.

"who also sealed us and gave us the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge."
2 Corinthians 1:22 NAS

"In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation -having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise,"
Ephesians 1:13 NAS

AWESOME!

If you allow the Holy Spirit to actually work in your life then we will see the Fruit of the Spirit in you too.
Galatians 5:22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control ; against such things there is no law.

I hope I don't miss Pentecost next year. I'm glad I don't miss out on the work of the HOly Spirit in my life every day.