This One Couldn't Wait

 

This One Couldn’t Wait

     I really don’t remember today.  Where or when.  But my Bible had something to do with it as I read Pentecost and Jesus talking with Nicodemus.  Another Dawn dish soap drop falling into the grease water and scattering the cloud away.

     Baptism of the Holy Ghost!  That was it!  Then I did more research and my theory held more water.  My pastor says the upstairs has to come downstairs. Or head knowledge has to become heart understanding.

     Peter gets full of the Holy Ghost, lights up, and begins preaching the good news to a bunch of guys in the square.  Not just Roman delinquents but devout men of the Jewish faith in town for one of the God-ordained gatherings.  Peter spoke in tongues and got their attention.  They got a bit guilty for killing Jesus and asked what to do.  “Repent and be baptized and you shall receive the promise of the Holy Ghost for it is for you and your children and anyone afar off that God will call.”  Something like that. They obeyed and received.  My question, why did they need it?

     The Bible already says they were devout men.  Devout enough to make tracks to Jerusalem to celebrate the Feast of Firstfruits (correction... Harvest).  They came from all over.  So, it wasn’t for dedication or boldness.  They were supremely overt in their faith blazing their way into a Roman ruled city.  Devout and determined.  Groups of guys united by faith and languages.  Little pockets of peoples meeting at the temple for a diner date with God.  All according to plan.

     Yet, these Jews lacked something.  Peter got the Holy Ghost signified by the speaking in tongues.  Right?  Right?  These guys received the Promise also, but God didn’t say they lit up or spoke angelic languages into the night.  They just did the water baptism thing and hung around after that.  What would keep a group of geo-separated, Hebrew-as-a-second-language men wanting to go house to house and break bread?

Identity.  This was the first time they could say it.  Father.

     Never before.  Jesus had been so bold with His new teaching of the Father, but now it hit home.  It was the baptism of the Holy Ghost.  They understood for the first time that they belonged to Him.  Upstairs knowledge came downstairs to the heart.  They became children that day, so they started acting like children.  With great joy they cancelled all flights out of Jerusalem to be one with Him and His children.

     Jesus said to be baptized with water and the Spirit.  Upon birth, I broke my mother’s water.  Since then, I have had a God-encounter which drove it down deep that He was indeed my Father.  More than a Dawn dish soap moment.  At age ten, my heart received Him and joy overflowed.  Comfort in the middle of a broken home.  It wasn’t till fifteen years later did that tongues thing happen.  It’s almost as if He said, “Hey stupid, don’t forget I love you.”  That would be an affectionate stupid from God 😊.

     Baptism of the Holy Ghost.  We broke out once from our mothers.  We break out again in the Spirit and cry out Abba, Father!

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