“…what
looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them.” Acts 2:3 (NLT)
Yesterday
our church nearly caught on fire – literally! A poor squirrel made the wrong
turn on some power lines and he (or she, we’re not quite sure) was quickly
turned into a whole burnt offering as dramatic as the prophet Elijah’s
experience on Mt. Carmel when fire came down from heaven and consumed his
offering. Those who were present at the event said there were two loud bangs,
and then the lights went out. Later we discovered an electrical panel inside
the church was fried and came dangerously close to igniting the entire church
structure.
Funny
thing is, yesterday our church family was on fire because the majority
of them spent the day sharing God’s love in tangible ways by giving food to the
hungry, sending notes and packages of encouragement to medical mission volunteers
in the South Pacific, by visiting and singing for residents of a local
Alzheimer’s home, and many other acts of kindness. Old and young embraced the
call of God to minister to others as Christ has ministered to us, and it was
the most heartening thing to see how the “fire” of God’s love settled on each
one.
Then last
night, in the glow of candlelight (because we had no electricity), we shared
the most awesome time of fellowship in an Agape’ Feast and Communion. You could
feel the joy and the love that came from the day’s experiences in ministry and
from the opening of our hearts to each other by the influence of the Holy
Spirit. And as we shared the simple meal, including the bread and the wine (don’t
worry, it was unfermented!), it was clear that God was among us.
The
outpouring of Holy Spirit power to Jesus' followers on the Day of Pentecost
was first and foremost God’s love filling hearts open and ready to receive, and
then overflowing in ministry to the needs around them. That same Holy Spirit
Power was present in North Hills Church yesterday in so many ways. It only
takes one spark to set off an explosion, and it only takes one open, hungry
heart for God to manifest His miraculous love to and through a believer.
.
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