Come, Holy Spirit

Every Sunday morning, there is a moment of prayer in the church office. Our Associate Pastor and I come together with John, a layman from our congregation. This morning's time of prayer was like so many we have shared. When we pray, we always leave the office door open. We have never really talked about the door, but I have come to like having the door open to the church and the world outside when we pray. If we are interrupted, so be it. The interruption can become a time of inviting someone to join us. After all, we are praying, not hiding. But, something else happens as well. The choir is usually doing its final rehearsing in the Sanctuary as we are praying. Today is Pentecost and as we prayed I kept hearing the words of the anthem, "Come, Holy Spirit,...revive Your church today!" Another song they sang in preparation was, "Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on me." As I overheard the music, my spirit kept saying, "Yes. Yes."

I found myself praying at two different levels. There was the praying going in the room with the other two guys and there was praying going on with the choir in another space. The choir members never knew the impact their pre-sevice singing was having on my heart. Strange as it sounds, it was not confusing, but full of power. It certainly prepared me for worship on this Sunday when we read about the wind and fire of the Day of Pentecost. It prepared me, too, for preaching on this day. I love preaching on Pentecost. Along with Easter and Christmas, it offers such a great preaching moment!

"Come, Holy Spirit, Dark is the hour. We need Your filling, Your love and Your mighty power; Move now among us, Stir us we pray, Come, Holy Spirit, Revive the Church today. Revive the Church today." Yes, Yes, and Amen!