Thought for the Day – Wednesday 27th May
Words from Acts 2 which I am sure will be familiar to us from our
Baptism Liturgy:
‘Peter replied, “Repent and be
baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of
your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for
you and your children and for all who are far off - for all whom the Lord our
God will call.”’
And many were baptised then:
‘They devoted themselves to the
apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.
Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the
apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They
sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they
continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their
homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying
the favour of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those
who were being saved.’
Imagine this scene:
It is Friday lunchtime and as custom would have it all the accountants
in the office – qualified and trainees and sometimes even the partners of the
firm (if they happen to be in the office that day) - go out to lunch together.
At the end of the meal when the bill appears each one of them takes their
pocket calculator out of their pocket, totals up what their meal and drink has
cost them, adds a bit for the tip and lays it on the table.
Or what about this:
It is their day off and five clergy friends go out to lunch together.
At the end of their meal one of them takes the bill and adds at least ten percent
to it for the tip and then it is divided equally among all five regardless of
who had what for lunch.
Looking to the words of Peter in which of these scenarios do you feel
the work of the Holy Spirit is being shown in lives?
I know these scenarios may seem a bit simplistic, though both truly
part of my life by the way, but I think they do illustrate what Peter is trying
to get us to understand here by his words. He is saying that we should be so
changed by our baptism and by that receiving of that gift of the Holy Spirit
that we cannot help but let it show in our lives and it should show in our
lives as a concern for the common good. He is saying it is good to meet
together as a fellowship, to look to the teachings of Jesus, to pray together,
to share fellowship meals together and to have ‘everything in common’ with our
fellow believers; but, he is also saying that all of that meeting and sharing
together must impact our lives and be shown as a concern for others and always
for the common good.
We have heard those words ‘common good’ so much during ‘Lockdown’ as we
are asked to stay indoors for the ‘common good’. We have seen the work of the
Holy Spirit in action as so many spirit filled people have shown a great
concern for others as they work for the ‘common good’. We have seen the
gratitude with which people hold those who are willing to go that extra mile
for the ‘common good’. As we approach Pentecost Sunday when we remember the
gifting of the Holy Spirit let our prayer as a fellowship of believers be that
the work of the Holy Spirit may continue to be shown in such ways beyond
‘Lockdown’, that the ‘common good’ would always be to the fore in people’s
lives and that others touched by the actions of spirit filled others may come
to know the working of the Holy Spirit in their own lives.
Prayer
Loving Lord,
Your spirit has fallen upon us, you have placed it deeply in our
hearts, enable us to show that spirit in all we do, in our rising and sleeping,
in our working and in our leisure, in our joys and in our sorrows, in our
loving and caring, in our speaking and listening, in our thoughts and our
actions. Empower us to walk as one for the ‘common good’ and strengthen us to
share all that we have that we might show love for each other and in so doing
find life in you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen
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