Tuesday, May 18, 2010

Pentecost: How is the Holy Spirit at Work?

I was recently asked to write, in 100 words or less, an answer to the question: "How is the Holy Spirit at work in the world today?" Tough assignment, but here's what I came up with:

In nudges and whispers.

Like a seed growing, imperceptible at first. Like wind, invisible, refreshing, transformative. Like water, cleansing, renewing, powerful.

Unpredictably. Uncontrollably.

Praying: for us, with us, in us, through us.

Convicting, like a judge in a courtroom. Comforting, like a mother with a frightened child in the middle of the night.

We know her work by experiencing it. She will not be pinned down, can only be described with analogies.

But wherever there is forgiveness, redemption, reconciliation, grace, she leaves her fingerprints.

Always the one connecting, making us into the Body of Christ, God's hands in the world.

To read more responses, click here. (Incidentally, my favorite is the first one by Monica Coleman.) And, as always, feel free to share your own thoughts. As we enter the Christian season of Pentecost (see Acts 2), where is the Spirit at work? Where does the Spirit seem absent? Do you see her fingerprints in the world today?

2 comments:

Rob Olszewski said...

Great thoughts! Thanks for sharing these!

Anonymous said...

Seeing the 'fingerprints' of the Holy Spirit in your words.

Barbara