June 12, 2024 Weekly Update
Hello church family,
How about that wind yesterday? Lose any patio furniture or grill covers? It was real Montana wind that didn’t want to stop. I drove my vehicle on the highways last night and felt the push and pull of the wind. I’m sure our Eastern Montana friends would call it “a little breeze,” but as I drove and watched the dust and trees, and felt the knock of the wind, I was a little unnerved. “Geez! What is the deal?! I wish this would just quit.”
A few weeks ago, we celebrated Pentecost, the moment the Holy Spirit blew like a strong wind and filled the disciples, empowering them to be the church. Those disciples were a little unnerved and rattled by the experience. I imagine they were uncomfortable in the moment. The same was true for many witnesses – they accused the disciples of being drunks! Our strong winds last night reminded me of the way those first disciples might have felt in the midst of the arrival of the Holy Spirit – a little nervous, uncomfortable, and anxious, needing to pay closer attention as the future unfolded.
God’s Spirit, often described as a white dove or a comforter, can be calming and gentle. But sometimes the Spirit is like a strong wind that knocks us off course and makes us a little uncomfortable about the injustice we witness or the suffering of others. How has the Spirit moved in your life lately? Are you paying attention to God’s movements, or asking God to speak to you about circumstances that feel beyond your control? As we take time to bask the warmth and light of late spring and early summer, take a moment to be still and savor the loving presence of the Spirit within and around you. May you sense God’s presence and be guided as one of God’s beloved people.
Blessings,
Pastor Jared