During the long season of Pentecost, we are given time to reflect on the creative love of God, Jesus’ ministry and miracles, and the blessing of the Holy Spirit. Throughout this time, we are given reminders of the ways that God calls us to belief.
The demands of the world, busy schedules, ringing phones, vibrating notifications, and the internet in our pockets… all of these things can and do distract us from the perfect love of God. When the noise of the world gets in the way, we are called to believe.
Life often hurts. The pain of the past, the concerns of the present, worries about the future all become heavy burdens we bear. When God seems silent, we are called to believe.
God draws us near to him. We get so filled up with God’s joy and love that we burst out singing and dancing, laughing and shouting together, lifting up praises to God with hands clasped and held high. When we worship, we are called to believe.
Nothing we have done or can do can earn us this calling. Only by the grace of God, demonstrated by Jesus and showered on us by the Holy Spirit, are we made perfect and worthy of God’s calling. In the moments we don’t feel worthy of God’s attention, we are called to believe.
Jesus shows us the power of his name through signs and wonders, promising to be living food and water for all those who hunger and thirst. The beauty of creation stands as witness to the unfathomable depths of God’s creative energy. When God’s power seems too great for us to understand, we are called to believe.
God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, calls us to belief. How we answer that call is up to us.