Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, the Holy Spirit descended onto Jesus’ disciples. While they were gathered in Jerusalem to celebrate the Jewish festival of Pentecost, the disciples saw flames among and on them, heard a rushing wind and began talking in many languages. As a result, the disciples were able to share the good news of Jesus in the native tongues of all the pilgrims assembled in the city.
Even today, the power of the Holy Spirit fuels the “flame” that ignites Christians’ outreach efforts. Only by the Spirit’s power can we know Christ and make him known throughout the world.
Poet William Blake (1757-1827), who’s been described as a passionate, Pentecost kind of person, wrote this poem about the Spirit’s power:
Unless the eye catch fire,
The God will not be seen.
Unless the ear catch fire,
The God will not be heard.
Unless the tongue catch fire,
The God will not be named.
Unless the heart catch fire,
The God will not be loved.
Unless the mind catch fire,
The God will not be known.