There is a detail in Acts 2 worth noting. It is easy to miss as we take in the momentous outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the chapter records. That detail is in the very first verse: “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place.” Imagine for a moment that there was someone who decided to sleep in that day or go out for breakfast. That would not have been any great sin, but it would have become their greatest regret. I recall being part of a weekly prayer meeting in which we would simply worship and seek God. Every now and then we would have remarkable nights in which God’s presence seemed quite tangible. I would subsequently tell people about it and they would come the next week to check it out. But things would be back to normal. There was nothing wrong with ‘normal’. I like to say that prayer is nine parts seeking to one part finding. The seeking is important because it attunes our hearts to God, and this is what prepares us for a greater sense of his presence. Those who experienced the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost experienced it not because they were remarkable people. They experienced it just because they were in the habit of meeting together with the others, and so they were there when it happened. One of the most important spiritual attributes is perseverance. Blessed are those who just keep turning up to pray and worship with others, however inspiring or uninspiring it may feel. That is the kind of persistent faith that God loves and honours.
Reflect on how you can be more consistent in your pursuit of God.
Read Acts 2:1-3
