Too much?
Laura Digan
May 20, 2024
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Acts 2: 5-13 (NIVUK)
5 Now there were staying in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6 When they heard this sound, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard their own language being spoken. 7 Utterly amazed, they asked: ‘Aren’t all these who are speaking Galileans? 8 Then how is it that each of us hears them in our native language? 9 Parthians, Medes and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome 11 (both Jews and converts to Judaism); Cretans and Arabs – we hear them declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!’ 12 Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, ‘What does this mean?’
13 Some, however, made fun of them and said, ‘They have had too much wine.’
Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.” (Verse 13).
I understand the doubt and cynicism of those who just thought the disciples had been on the drink!
I grew up in a traditional church setting where there were not many outward manifestations of the Holy Spirit. God spoke to us through his word in Scripture and we showed our faith quietly through our service to others. There is nothing wrong with that and the people in the church were wonderful and loving but there was something missing, the Holy Spirit.
‘Happy clappy’ too exuberant worship was frowned upon. No one raised their hands to the Lord, never mind danced! I just wanted to surrender everything to the Lord but I had to remain dignified and in control at all times. But that is the thing, sometimes when the Holy Spirit comes upon us, it is undignified, it is uncontrollable! We have to be open and willing for that possibility.
The gifts of the Holy Spirit were never spoken about. For most of my life I thought I was mad because I could hear the Lord speak to me, giving me words of knowledge and filling my mind with visions.
Even when I started training for ministry I wondered if I would find a place as often I felt I was ‘too much’, ‘too full of the Spirit,’ and so I’d dial it down. Praise the Lord that he had a place for me in the freedom that is Whiteinch.
Wouldn’t it be wonderful if the presence and manifestations of the Holy Spirit were understood and accepted in all churches? That the wind and the breath of fire of the Holy Spirit could be given the freedom to set all hearts on fire. I suspect that the church in Scotland would find itself in a very different place, planting more churches instead of closing them.
Prayer:
In the words of Rend Collective (from Build Your Kingdom Here)
“Set Your church on fire
Win this nation back
Change the atmosphere
Build Your kingdom here
We pray…”
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