Walking in my North London neighborhood, I can hear snatches of conversation in many languagesPolish, Japanese, Hindi, Croatian, and Italian, to name a few. This diversity feels like a taste of heaven, yet I cant understand what theyre saying. As I step into the Russian café or the Polish market and hear the different accents and sounds, I sometimes reflect on how wonderful it must have been on the day of Pentecost when people of many nations could understand what the disciples were saying.
On that day, pilgrims gathered together in Jerusalem to celebrate the festival of the harvest. The Holy Spirit rested on the believers so that when they spoke, the hearers (who had come from all over the known world) could understand them in their own languages (Acts 2:56). What a miracle that these strangers from different lands could understand the praises to God in their own tongues! Many were spurred on to find out more about Jesus.
We may not speak or understand many languages, but we know that the Holy Spirit equips us to connect with people in other ways. Amazingly, we are Gods hands and feetand mouthto further His mission. Today, how might wewith the Spirits helpreach out to someone unlike us?
Share your story of how you've helped others at odb.org
Hours before Jesus went to the cross, He promised His disciples He would send another advocate to help [them] and be with [them] foreverthe Spirit of truth (John 14:1617). Before ascending to heaven, Jesus restated His promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:45). What Jesus promised, the Father fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (2:112). The Feast of Pentecost is also called the Festival of Harvest (Ex. 23:16) or the Festival of Weeks (Deut. 16:10). It is celebrated fifty days after Passover to express thanks to the Lord for the blessing of the harvest (Lev. 23:1522). Jesus celebrated the Passover with His disciples on the day He died (Mark 14:12; Luke 22:15; John 18:28), and the Holy Spirit was sent fifty days later.