My grandmother Dunn lived to be 102 years old. When she turned 100, we had a great big party! Then when she turned 101, we had another grand party. She lived another year and yes, the party was there.
At her 100th birthday party, I could see that she was getting tired. I went over and bent down in front of her and asked her, "Grandma, is there something I can get you or do for you?" She smiled at me with her gentle eyes glowing. "Yes. Would you please tell all those folks to go home so that I can take my nap!" With that, I rolled her back to her room and the nurse helped her get into her bed to rest.
Remember as a kid how you enjoyed your birthday parties? All of your friends were there. Time was spent planning the party. Who would come? Invitations were given out. On the day of the party, you played games. You opened the presents. The birthday cake was presented and everybody sang. Maybe the cake was in the shape of an animal or a cookie cake. It was special.
This past week was the birthday of the church. We call it Pentecost. It is the time we remember how the early disciples were filled with the power of the living Spirit of God. At the initial experience of the Spirit, the church was unified. It became clear that all of the world would know and understand the love of God. The church was to celebrate the presence of God.
I think the church has forgotten how to celebrate in some ways. Celebration has been replaced with empty ritual. Maybe our piety has gotten in the way. Maybe the emphasis on doing what we have always done has kept us from experiencing God. Maybe we have forgotten that the invitations to the party are to all the children of the world, not just who we like or to the privileged. Maybe there are some of us who are like my grandma, who has just grown tired and needs to rest.
What we do in the church carries over to the rest of life as well. A person who attends the church that is not celebrating the Spirit will likely live the same kind of powerless life. The "ho-hum" walk with God has no energy of the Spirit of God. Birthdays come and go--more gone than anything else.
Maybe it is time for us to become some what like party animals filled with the joy of the Holy Spirit! You do remember that when the disciples experienced the Spirit, there were those who just thought they were drunk! Maybe each day should be filled with the idea of celebrating life.
And then the world will look at those who called themselves Christians and wonder. And then they too will seek what we have!
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