“This promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away—all who have been called by the Lord our God.”
Acts 2:39 (NLT)
When the power of God falls at Pentecost and the story of Jesus lands on people personally, it does not stay theoretical. Hearts get pierced, and the question becomes simple and urgent: “Brothers, what should we do?”
Peter doesn’t leave them guessing. He tells them what to do next. Repent of your sins and turn to God. Change your mind and the direction of life then turn back to God. Call on his name. Confess Jesus as Lord. Then be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Be immersed. Be forgiven. Be washed. And then receive the gift of Holy Spirit.
And here is what moves me today: the Holy Spirit is not just a moment for those in the room. Holy Spirit is a gift. This gift is a promise. Acts 2:39 says the promise is to you, to your children, and to those far away.
Far away in distance. Far away in time. Far away from the life you know. The footnotes say it reaches to people far in the future, and it reaches to the Gentiles. Another way of saying that is for you and your families and for those yet to be born. And the sentence includes one word that matters: all. A-L-L who have been called by the Lord our God. If it is a gift and a promise to all called by the Lord our God, then it is for today. We don’t need to reject it. We need to receive the promises of God and understand the promises of God. I wonder how this gift might change us, our families, our children, those who are unchurched, those who look different than us, and those who live far away from us. Let’s get to work telling people the whole story that Peter offered on the day of Pentecost.
I wonder how this gift might change us, our families, our children, those who are unchurched, those who look different than us, and those who live far away from us. Let’s get to work telling people the whole story that Peter offered on the day of Pentecost.
Wow! This hit me hard.
It made me think of how I act or what I say about those who are different/unchurched. I may not always say the nicest things.. but how is that going to impact my children. Am I setting an example? Am I showing God’s love toward them? Honestly, with some people.. probably not. I may not say anything but my face surely tells a different story. And thats something I need to reflect on.
Thank you for this devotion today!
Sissy, thank you for sharing your heart. I understand how you feel. Loving our neighbor is hard work. But it is the primary way the Gospel spreads. You have Holy Spirit inside you to empower you to love beyond your ability. I trust that when you yield to Him, things will change!