Scripture:‘Lord, my longings are sitting in plain sight, my groans an old story to you. My heart’s about to break, I’m a burned out case…..What I do, God, is wait for you, wait for my Lord, my God - you will answer!’ (Psalm 38 v 9& 10, 15) - (The Message translation)Reflection:In this world we live in of instant gratification, waiting for anything is not a popular pastime. It’s hard enough to wait for something we are looking forward to, but when the present is difficult and the future uncertain, waiting for a breakthrough is challenging. We look for things to ease our immediate pain - we don’t want to wait, we want to feel better - now. There are many stories in the bible of people waiting for God to act, for life to change - 116 references in total. Abraham waited 25 years for the baby God promised him. The Israelites waited 40 years to enter the land God promised them. Get comfortable with waiting - it builds strength, character and faith. Your circumstances will not have taken God by surprise. In the space in between, rest, pray and trust. The Creator of the Universe is working all things out for the good of those who love Him. Of this, we can be certain.Vicki Young
Scripture:When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly from heaven there came a sound like the rush of a violent wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. Divided tongues, as of fire, appeared among them, and a tongue rested on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other languages, as the Spirit gave them ability.Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven living in Jerusalem. And at this sound the crowd gathered and was bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in the native language of each. Amazed and astonished, they asked, ‘Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us, in our own native language? Acts 2:1-8Reflection:Here is an event that baffles still – what were those people hearing? These people were clearly speaking languages that their hearers, or some of them, understood. And what they were saying made sense – they “spoke of God’s deeds of power”. They themselves might not have understood what they were saying; but their hearers clearly did! Today, we seem in many ways just as divided, and just as confused, as those early hearers of the message about Jesus and his deeds of great power. We are a divided nation over so many issues, who are not hearing or understanding each other very well, and who seem to be talking past each other in so many instances. There are so many issues that are threatening to drive us apart. But part of being in God’s Kingdom, where He reigns, is being together with all those with whom we disagree. Jesus says to his disciples “Peace be with you”. His Spirit is a spirit of peace. So, I invite and encourage you to set some time apart this week to pray for all that is on your heart, all that you want for yourself, for your brothers and sisters and for our world, but more than anything, for understanding and peaceable accommodation with all. For peace. AmenRevd Ylva Blid-Mackenzie
