Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Dear God,

I walked upstairs to ask a question and I found the Spirit singing. I walked down the hall and I found the Spirit carrying in foodstuffs from a meal she had prepared for the homeless. I walked into my study and found the Spirit sharing faith.

There was a day when the halls were dark with grief and sorrow. The walls were lined with bitterness, anger and resentment. The light was hidden away.

But like Pentecost the Spirit swept into the church one day. It traveled like the ominous cloud over Israel that killed the first born in the Old Testament. Only this Spirit traveled into every corner, crack and crevice, bringing new life. It remains today.

There is a joy, an enthusiasm, a faith and belief in the church. There is an aura of possibility. "I believe we can get 1,000 pairs of shoes!" The woman said as we talked about collecting new shoes for impoverished children. A smile broke across my face and I walked straight to her, threw my arms around her, and said, "Oh Jean, I am so proud of you. I remember when you would have said 250."

There is a trust, like never before, a spirit of generosity toward one another. There is a happiness generated from the inside out and a hope for even greater things to come. There is a genuineness of love shared between peoples.

This is your church alive with your Spirit!

Holy of holies,
we know this Spirit.
You have captured
our hearts
at last.
You have breathed
new life
into us.
You have spoken faith
and we have
grabbed hold.
We are your babies
in Christ,
your little ones,
learning to walk
and talk.
You have found us
hidden away
and you have
brought us out
of hiding.
We're out
in the open
singing, helping, sharing.
We are your church.

Love, Andrea