Today’s find: Joel’s Promise

I find it very interesting that it’s not only Jesus who promises to send us the Spirit.

There’s a similar pledge recorded by Joel, an Old Testament prophet writing about 400 years before the time of Christ. Joel channels the Lord as saying,

It shall come to pass: I will pour out my spirit upon all mankind;

Your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions;

Even upon the servants and the handmaids, in those days, I will pour out my spirit.

In one sense, this is a very unsettling prediction. There’s a tendency, I think, for us to impose chronos — earthly time and space constraints — on the workings of God in our lives. We expect things to happen in order, through proper channels — as surely as Pentecost follows the Easter season.

Seems to me, this is a pattern of thought which might lead us into temptation: ‘Not yet, Holy One: I’m not quite ready for You.’

In contrast, Joel seems to be saying ‘Expect the Spirit to show up in times and places and people that might surprise you.’

Who are the prophets — the channels of the Spirit — in everyday life?

So, yes: We do well to celebrate the great feast of Pentecost today — the birthday of the Church.

But it might also be wise if we look beyond the annual return of this one-day feast to invite the Spirit into our lives.

Or, as a dear friend of mine recently observed,

What if the Spirit is here…no waiting…just notice and be enfolded …

Beyond WOW!