I just got done making a radio commercial for my church. In that commercial I used the phrase “come Holy Spirit”. Today as I was listening to the finished commercial, I thought to myself, “are we ready for the Holy Spirit to come?”
On the day of Pentecost when the promise of the Holy Spirit happened and the Holy Spirit came, there was quite a commotion. There was a mighty rushing wind. People saw apparitions of tongues of fire descending upon the building where the disciples were gathered. They all started speaking in languages they never learned. And at least 3000 people gathered to see what was going on.
Are we ready for that? Are we ready to see God do the unusual in order to draw crowds that need Jesus? Are we ready to let God be His own PR man?
It is one thing to talk about these things that happened in the past but are we ready or even willing to let them happen in the present? What will my little church do if all of a sudden 50 strangers show up because of a mighty rushing wind or a vision of flames over the building? What would they do if they all started speaking in tongues?
Or even less dramatic. What would they do if they all were compelled to just stay in the church and pray until they knew they were empowered to change their world by God? Are we ready for it?
I am not sure I am ready. How can you be ready for something that you don’t really know what it will be like? However I am hungry for it. I am fed up, sick and tired, dissatisfied, and plain ole bored with church as usual. I don’t need to hear or preach another sermon. I don’t need to sing another song. I don’t need to attend another service. What I need and what I want is an authentic and powerful encounter with the God of the universe.
How about you?
ARE YOU READY?