Grace and Peace to you.
Often times during the course of the church year, in many of our prayers we pray the words “Holy Spirit stir up your power”. We pray these words in times of lament and darkness when we pray that the Holy Spirit stir up her power and change things. Perhaps we are praying this prayer today as we see the burning and the rioting in Minnepolis, as we watch over and over again the horrific video of a black man pinned down by a white man’s knee or hear of the death of a black woman in Kentucky who was killed by police in her bed. We pray, Holy Spirit stir up your power.
Yet, as we near the day of Pentecost, when we celebrate the Holy Spirits first stirring of power in fire and wind I wonder if we are ready for her to come. Are we really ready for God’s Holy Spirit to stir us up? Would we recognize her if she was not as tame as we want her to be? Are we ready for the Holy Spirit? I ask because with the Holy Spirit comes change, radical rebirth, and a destruction of the status quo.
It is time to change. Past time, really. It is time to face our own actions and complicity in systemic racism and it is time to step toward our fellow beloved of God in love, with outstretched arms and humble hearts. It is time to be changed by the Holy Spirit so that God’s love may reign.
I am including a link to an article that says this better than I could, and I pray that you will read it, that you will pray and that you will be open to the Spirit’s movement in you.
Today we pray
For our black and brown fellow beloved of God.
For the families of the Ones who have died, who have suffered, who will no longer feel their families embrace.
We beg forgiveness for our part in this pain.
We beg for the strength to speak up, to speak out, to walk in solidarity with our black and brown siblings in Christ.
Holy Spirit, stir up your power and change us. Amen.
https://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Frevtifc.wordpress.com%2F2020%2F05%2F29%2Fsick-and-tired-of-being-sick-and-tired%2F%3Ffbclid%3DIwAR2elkv_eKkLLmM57rBRhcXHq2ECuT1oSB1eKnlWyCaOi9zN9ls9vBDQRPA&h=AT2sRi2BCWa4YKvDzvW-2U0e2jLeXSLKgq8DsNcFmi2k69pf3atfJhwsCykqHBJZ44FifF4jS0DP3XnDEJgJ_4lJi1CHZ_G6WPsOAnkauTmwZAgRKZtBH12VSVSJWHbw4vpWUh5gMC2Sgg
Yours in Christ,
PJ