Matt Maher – “Burning In My Soul” (Devotional)

            People often forget that the apostles were gathered together at Pentecost out of fear of persecution. But God used that time of fear, of doubt. In a sense, he was building a foundation of faith that He would set on fire at Pentecost so the fire burning would be burning slow, and not just kindling. So they were afraid, yes – but they were still together. They were unified in their need for God and for connection with each other; and with Judas replaced by Mathias, they were in a sense complete and ready.

Ready to be sent. But before they were sent, they needed what Jesus promisedΓǪthey needed the paraclete. They needed the Holy Spirit- not just for the power to proclaim good news, but for the courage to live it. The courage to testify to the fire that now burned inside of them. 

            I can imagine that as they lived in the days of “Acts 2,” that they witness the transforming power of God. The other 11 watched Peter give discourses in the public square that maybe he would have stammered over only a year earlier; they watched miracles happen through the ministry of their hands, but Jesus was no longer with them. They watched His promises, of seeing “greater things” come to life in a way that must have helped “stoke the flames” within them.

But this was done out of necessity. That is, they were compelled to share the reason for their faith and their hope; they could not help themselves.

May it be so of the Church in our time; may we be not driven by pride, or ego, or the sense of self importance – only by the fact that what we have witness God’s Spirit do in our heartsΓǪ.well, we cannot stop talking about it. We cannot hide the light inside of us – we can only testify to it. 

When the time of Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.

Acts 2:1