Theme 2021: Come, Holy Spirit!
1 January, 2021
1 January, 2021
“Come, Holy Spirit” has been called the most essential prayer of the Church.
For thousands of years – ever since the Holy Spirit rushed like a mighty wind through the upper room in Acts 2 – Christians have been praying passionate prayers of invitation for the Spirit to come, to move, and to transform people and situations. It's an ancient, simple prayer that has been impacting the world from the early Church to today.
For example, in the early 200s, early theologian Hippolytus wrote an Invocation of the Holy Spirit, that says “…And we pray that you would send your Holy Spirit...”
In the 800s, a Frankish Monk, Rabanus Maurus, wrote a song called, Veni Creator Spiritus, or “Come, Creator Spirit.” The prayer begins, “Come, Holy Spirit, Creator, come...”
In the 1200s, the prayer “Come, Holy Spirit,” or Veni Sancte Spiritus took on fresh life and became a common prayer in the Western church. This historic prayer begins with the powerful words, “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of Thy love.”
In this extraordinary season, I sense that the Lord is stirring my heart to long for more of His empowering presence that comes through the Holy Spirit. God is always present with His people today by His Spirit. But when we pray, “Come, Holy Spirit,” we are asking for a greatly increased sense of the empowering presence of God. Throughout Scripture, we see the impact of God’s empowering presence when His people are filled with the Holy Spirit.
The amazing truth is that, through Jesus, this “river of living water” (John 7:38) does not flow once in a while. It flows continuously. It is not supposed to be blocked up. It should be constantly bubbling up and flowing out of us. This river can flow into you and through you as you come to him and drink today.
As we navigate this season of uncertainty, may the Lord help us to understand how amazing it is to spend time in the presence of God – the wonderful and extraordinary privilege that is available to you and I as a follower of Jesus. Come Holy Spirit, come!
For His Cause,
Pastor Hock Cheng