Last Days

Although it’s Trinity Sunday coming up, I’m still going to be in the Pentecost story looking at Peter’s big speech to the gathered crowd. He quotes the prophet Joel’s beautiful and revolutionary words about God’s people receiving visions and dreams, both slaves and free, men and women, young and old. Not only was the playing field made level across cultures and languages at Pentecost, but across gender, age and status. We tend to like these words.

But then comes the ominous warning about the terrifying things that will happen before Christ’s ‘glorious’ return - blood, fire and smoky mist appearing, the sun turned to darkness and the moon to blood. Peter shares the Good News and the Trinity are woven into the story. Just as people of all kinds are treated as equally important at Pentecost, each person of the triune God has their moment, does something unique and adds a critical piece to our understanding of the Almighty.

As I reflect on these words and the raging wildfires across Canada, so many more than we’ve ever had in a single season. it may feel like we’re in those final days, with tongues of fire lapping at trees and shooting up into the sky, and smoke covering the earth. In the midst of this, my denomination’s annual gathering of leadership will be meeting in Halifax starting on Sunday. We will be praying for those taking part as we always do, but particularly for the safety of everyone in the area as a wildfire rages around that city.

For centuries people have been convinced that the end and Jesus’ return were imminent. We’ve been wrong of course, although He does show up in many ways that we can quickly dismiss. No, His great and glorious return is still to come, but tense and awful circumstances can make it feel like the apocalypse is knocking on our door, the four horsemen broken out of the stable.

There are many loaded words in our faith, and ‘saved’ is one of them. I have always latched on to the translation for it of ‘wholeness’ - that God longs to make us whole and knowing Jesus and allowing Him to touch our lives can bring about that wholeness. Jesus healed people regardless of whether they knew who He was or confessed Him as the Messiah. Some did, and others just gratefully received what He offered and we have no idea if they told anyone and became avid followers or not.

Still, when the big bad stuff comes, everyone who calls on Jesus will be saved. This doesn’t just apply to the end of life as we know it. We are invited to be saved each day of our lives - to find the purpose, health, wholeness and security that God offers to us. Each day is a glorious day in Christ if we are only willing to see the signs of His presence around us. Each day we can recognize our need and ask for God’s help and be saved from any number of things that would otherwise weigh us down or divert us from peace and hope.

The Spirit came in a powerful way at Pentecost. It was time for the mighty breath of God to grab our attention. And yet Jesus and our Creator factor in as well, a beautiful dance modeling interdependence and differing gifts working together in harmony with purpose and grace. As Pentecost people, may we catch that vision and live it out in community.