Devotions with Holly Woodbridge

Dear Church Family: 
Together in One Place
                       
As we approach Pentecost Sunday this weekend with so many churches separated by fears and walls and opinions, this verse feels especially weighty.
 
Acts 2:1 When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.
 
On that first Pentecost, the Spirit permeated the church and those followers who had waited and prayed “in one place,” experienced a mighty infilling of the Spirit. They preached with boldness. “Day after day, in the temple courts and from house to house, they never stopped teaching and proclaiming the good news that Jesus is the Messiah.”
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So, how do we do “in one place” in the context of social distancing?
 
In chapter 8, the early church experiences “the next phase,” social distancing.  “On that day a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout Judea and Samaria.”
 
The answer was not the upper room, it wasn’t Jerusalem. It wasn’t even the temple. It was the Holy Spirit. That is why scattering did not stop the church. The Spirit was present in each of them.
Ephesians 4:3-5 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace. There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one Lord, one faith, one baptism;”

Do you remember this old song?
 
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord;
And we pray that all unity will one day be restored.
They’ll know we are Christians by our love,
yes, they'll know we are Christians by our love.
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1 John 4:12 No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and his love is made complete in us.

We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand;
And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land.
We Will work with each other, we will work side by side;
And we'll guard each man's dignity and save each man's pride.

1 Corinthians 3:9 For we are co-workers in God’s service; you are God’s field, God’s building.

I look forward to a time when we can ALL worship together, but until then, let us continue to be One in the Spirit and be doing the work of God wherever we are, for His glory!

All praise to the Father, from whom all things come;
And all praise to Christ Jesus, His only Son.
And all praise to the Spirit who makes us ONE. 

​("They'll Know We Are Christians by Our Love" by Peter Scholtes Copyright: 1966 F.E.L. Publications.)

Holly Woodbridge