Matthew 3:11 "I baptize you with water for repentance, but he who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.
It's been a long time since I wrote on a Tuesday. but God woke me up and called me out, so here I am.
Ah, the Holy Spirit of God. that topic brings up many interesting images. When I was confirmed in 8th grade, I was very disappointed by the fact that a burning flame, like the ones described in the Bible, did not descend on my head. I had heard the gospel passage many times before when the Holy Spirit descended on the apostles in the form of fire. The movies I had seen all had the image of a flame over their head, so that is what I expected. When that didn't happen I was disappointed. Maybe God wasn't pouring out His Spirit on me, maybe I wasn't sincere enough, maybe I hadn't said enough Our Father's or Hail Mary's? What was wrong with me? What did I do wrong?
Of course now I look back and giggle at this experience because no one else had a flame appear over their head. I remember when my children were confirmed, none of them had a flame either. I didn't fully understand, nor was I taught the truth about the Holy Spirit. The priests and nuns of my day, nor my childrens, didn't bother to explain that it's not some ritualistic sacrament done at a certain age with everyone else in your class or at least it shouldn't be. It is a very personal experience, one that is unique to each person.
I have heard stories of people who were "slain in the spirit". I have heard about people who have had a warm sensation running through their entire body and I have heard that some people just have a knowing, a feeling. Whatever your unique story is regarding the Holy Spirit entering your life and your heart, you know it.
Whether you are 8 years old or 80 years old, it's not an age thing, it's a heart thing, a belief thing, a God moment. Whether you are standing up, sitting down, lying down, kneeling down or overcome and "slain in the Spirit" each person's story is unique. To claim that at a certain age you are ready to receive the Holy Spirit is silly.
As I sit and look back at my life I realize the Holy Spirit was working in me from a very young age. My hopes and dreams seemed different. My vision for my life was not like everyone else I knew. I had no desire to go to college like all my friends. There were no real career path I wanted, but I knew one thing very deeply, I experienced God in places outside of church, always have.
Every leaf on a tree, every sunrise and sunset, in the eyes of my puppy, looking into the Grand Canyon, watching the ocean waves, seeing my mom and dad dance, singing at church, looking at the Rocky Mountains and lying on my back watching the clouds roll by. All of these things and more connected me with the presence of God more than any church building. The Holy Spirit of God invaded me early in my life, I just wasn't aware of it. It wasn't really talked about or discussed until 8th grade, then magically I was ready to learn about the Holy Spirit that was already working on my from the inside out.
You know for along time I have felt a sense of the Holy Spirit burning within me. I din't get some flame burning on top of my head. It was a knowing within me, a belief that Jesus Christ is the Son of God, in fact Jesus is God in human clothing. It was accepting His love and His sacrifice that instilled the Holy Spirit into my life.
The flame within me burns brightest when I am connected with God on a deeper level. The deeper I go with God, the brighter the flame becomes. My life long goal is for my heart and soul to burn for God as hot as the fire in my picture.
May the flame of the Holy Spirit invade your heart and soul today. May your life become tested and tried by the fire of God and may His love and joy and peace change you from the inside out. In Jesus name I pray, amen.
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