As discussed in the previous 25 days, Pentecost commemorates a historical and spiritual event of great significance that occurred 50 days after the resurrection of Christ -- the promised Counselor, the Holy Spirit of the living God, came and rested upon individual believers in Jesus. The coming of the Holy Spirit strengthened the faith of the disciples because it confirmed what Jesus commanded them on one occasion when He was eating with them,
"Do not leave Jerusalem,
but wait for the gift my Father promised,
which you have heard me speak about.
For John baptized you with water,
but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit."
Acts 1:4-5, NIV
And what a gift He has turned out to be!
He is the gift that keeps on giving.
He is the Teacher that keeps on teaching.
He is the Counselor that keeps on counseling.
He is the Comforter that keeps on comforting you and me and everyone who is humble and contrite in heart, spirit, mind, and body.
As I wait to commemorate that momentous appearing, I am staying my mind upon Psalm 51, which reads:
For the director of music. A psalm of David. When the prophet Nathan came to him after David had committed adultery with Bathsheba.
1 Have mercy on me, O God, according to Your unfailing love;
according to Your great compassion blot out my transgressions.
2 Wash away all my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3 For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
May this psalm continue to bring you and me to a place of alert listening as we go past the halfway mark of these fifty days of waiting!
3 For I know my transgressions and my sin is always before me.
4 Against You, You only, have I sinned and done what is evil in Your sight,
so that You are proved right when You speak and justified when You judge.
5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
6 Surely You desire truth in the inner parts; You teach me wisdom in the inmost place.
7 Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow.
8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones You have crushed rejoice.
9 Hide Your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquity.
10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
11 Do not cast me from Your presence or take Your holy Spirit from me.
12 Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and grant me a willing spirit to sustain me.
13 Then I will teach transgressors Your ways, and sinners will turn back to You.
14 Save me from bloodguilt, O God, the God who saves me
and my tongue will sing of Your righteousness.
15 O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare Your praise.
16 You do not delight in sacrifice, or I would bring it; You do not take pleasure in burnt offerings.
17 The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit;
a broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise.
18 In Your good pleasure make Zion prosper; build up the walls of Jerusalem.
19 Then there will be righteous sacrifices, whole burnt offerings to delight You;
then bulls will be offered on Your altar.
May this psalm continue to bring you and me to a place of alert listening as we go past the halfway mark of these fifty days of waiting!
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