Monday, June 13, 2011

Pentecost: An out-pouring of God's presence on ALL people.

There are three of us now who are regular 'jail chaplains' in the women's jail. I go a couple of Sundays a month, from 1-2pm, and either lead or co-lead 2 half-hour Bible Studies for the different female pods. If you are interested in more of these Bible Studies, see the blog, http://skagitwomensjail.blogspot.com/.

Since I led the Bible study yesterday, I'm sharing those with you this week. It is a blessing to go and be with these women. Below is a summary of our reading and convo...

the ladies entered the all-purpose room, wearing red. I know it wasn't their choice, but i couldn't help but comment on the fact that their jail gear is bright red, and how believers around the world today are wearing red in honor of Pentecost. What happened on Pentecost they ask? We read Acts 2...

The believers were gathered in a room,
and suddenly an indoor windstorm,
fire on their heads,
and the Spirit of God poured out on them.

I ask the ladies...
What were the believers doing? Reading Scripture? Praying? Worshiping?
We dont know...just know that they were gathered.

What do we need to be doing to receive God? Have our lives together? Be clean?
How many of us have believed we need to have our 'act together'?
....most raise their hands, and tears well up in the eyes of a lady directly across from me.

God's Spirit came and poured out on them. It poured. It didn't dribble.
How often do we expect a dribble? A portion? Do we ask for God to bless our court, our children, not expecting more than a dribble? Our hearts are hurting, aching to be loved, yet we ask for a dribble, for a small touch, and God POURS.

What keeps us from asking for and expecting an out-pouring of God's presence, love, and goodness in our lives?
...we don't believe we deserve it. Others do. Not us. We're in jail.
...we believe we need to have our life together in order to get anything good...let alone God's goodness and love for us.

What if God wants to pour out on ALL people, regardless of our behavior, our thoughts, our character? What if he just asks we say sorry, ask for forgiveness, and turn to him, opening our hands to receive? Are our hands clenched, unable to receive?

Peter explains that this out-pouring fulfilled the prophecy of Joel...
that God's Spirit would pour on ALL people, men and women...and even the servants.
And all those who turn to God for help will be saved.

Who are today's 'servants', or those who are controlled by others, looked down on by society? 'us', the ladies answer. 'Criminals, felons, drug addicts, homeless, us.'

What if God welcome us as we are? Do we want it? Do you know God is for you?

the gift is there. Sometimes we have our fists clenched and we can't receive the gift. When we say we are sorry, when we 'repent, and receive God's forgiveness through Jesus', we are opening our hands, and receive God's forgiveness... and His presence!

A lady shares that sometimes, its hardest to forgive ourselves. we invite them to open their hands, to ask for God's help in all things, even asking for forgiveness. we invite God's Spirit to come and begin praying for the ladies individually, playing a song from United Pursuit band on the iPod player. these are some of the words...
I lean not on my own understanding,
my life is in the hands of the maker of heaven.

If i open up my hands will you fill them again?

I will climb this mountain with my hands wide open.
There's nothing I hold onto.

the tears flow around the room as the Spirit comes and touches each one. two ladies that used to hate each other, are crying. One, who just got back into jail Saturday, shoves her chair closer to the other, leans her head on her shoulder, and soon are embracing and sobbing.

it is beautiful to see God's love & presence embracing these women who are locked up, welcoming them as they are. it is also hard to hit such a vulnerable emotional place with them, and then back to their cells they go, the 1/2 hour is up. Yet, I thank the LORD, who is not dependent on me. May God continue to move this week, embracing these women and speaking to them in the jail.