On the Way to Wonder

Sr. Wantabee met with her little ole people this morning and did the dry run of her Wednesday talk on promises. They all nodded at the childhood chant of “cross my heart and hope to die” but allowed that they had never “stuck a needle in my eye.” They were not so sure about becoming a blood brother with anyone. But we all hung our heads knowing we were not so good at keeping promises and we were prone to wander and needed a guide to keep us on the “path of life.” She shared that this weekend her daughter came home from babysitting totally irrate. The person had come home drunk with “friend” and could not even write the check. The next day there was a call asking for forgiveness for the “slip from the path,” “the mistake.”

This week we celebrate on Wednesday, the Ascension or return of Christ to heaven, and then Sunday we do Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Rather than argue about speaking in tongues or the nature of the Trinity, the focus for the Sunday is on the fulfillment of God’s promise given in Ezekiel and Joel that His Spirit was going to come and stay with people and Christ’s promise in the Upper Room that the Holy Spirit, the Counselor, was coming. The promise of the Spirit living within us is a promise to never be forsaken, never to be lonely, never to have God lie to us, and always to be guided, even onto death.

The little ole people always like to say Psalm 23, they remember it. “Ye tho I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I shall fear no evil, for thou are with me…” Indeed, the Holy Spirit is right there inside us, keeping us company during that scary hour, guiding us, and comforting us.

I’m glad God keeps His promises!