Monday 30 May 2022

Today is Monday the 30th of May, in the seventh week of Easter.

Jeremy Riddle sings, ‘Fall Afresh’. As we enter into prayer, you might like to take this moment to ask the Holy Spirit to fall afresh on you today…
Awaken my soul, come awake
To hunger, to seek, to thirst
Awaken first love, come awake
And do as You did, at first
Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul
Pour in me to overflow
To overflow
Yes Spirit
Come and fill this place
Let Your glory now invade
Spirit come and fill this place
Let your glory now invade
Spirit of the living God come fall afresh on me
Come wake me from my sleep
Blow through the caverns of my soul
Pour in me to overflow

Today’s reading is from the Acts of the Apostles.
Acts 19:1-8
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul passed through the inland regions and came to Ephesus, where he found some disciples. He said to them, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ They replied, ‘No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.’ Then he said, ‘Into what then were you baptized?’ They answered, ‘Into John’s baptism.’ Paul said, ‘John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, in Jesus.’ On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. When Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied— altogether there were about twelve of them.
He entered the synagogue and for three months spoke out boldly, and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God.

A refreshingly direct conversation between Paul and the disciples is recorded in today’s reading. And there’s something more for the disciples in store: receiving the Holy Spirit. How do you imagine the disciples felt in this dramatic scene? Can you place yourself in it?
The disciples were given powerful experiences of the Holy Spirit. We know that the Holy Spirit gives quite different, everyday experiences too, not all as dramatic, yet just as deeply significant. Where is the Holy Spirit for you right here, right now?

As you hear the passage again, become aware of the potential of God’s Holy Spirit…
Where in the troubled earth around you could you ask for God’s Spirit to become apparent? Take a moment to ask for that now.

Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.