Last week was one of the most challenging sermons of the year. It was Pentecost, the day which we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The challenge, of course, is to speak aloud about the still, small voice that works within; to name the nudges; and to try to describe that part of God which is, by definition, indescribable. I spoke as best as I could about those things which are beyond words.
This week, I saw the power of the Holy Spirit in action. A member of my church had been working on a mission project last year and became aware of a need. Someone else was more gifted to fulfill that need, and so he thought nothing more about it. Until the nudges started. He sensed that the Holy Spirit was asking him to fulfill that need himself, to create something that he was completely untrained to create. After talking to his spouse and praying some more, he set out to do this task. He went to one place to get advice and supplies. The response: “There is no way you can do this without taking many of our classes over a long period of time.” He prayed some more and went somewhere else. This time, he heard, “Sure, you can do this.”
Yesterday, I stood in front of the completed project. It is incredible, by any standard of expertise. I have no doubt that it will change lives. I have a hunch it changed mine, just to be reminded of what the Holy Spirit can do when we pay attention. And say yes.
Some sermons are spoken with words. Often, the most powerful sermons are seen with actions.
