by Desiree Bustamante

The enduring and timeless sounds of salvation.

You can listen to today’s devotion by clicking on this SoundCloud link.

One Memorial Day weekend we went to Sugar Loaf Dam near Leadville, Colorado. The winter ice was melting into chunks and floated gracefully on top of the water. A breeze came up and blew across the reservoir. As the chunks of ice clanged together they created an impressive sound, like musical notes filling the air. It was rather surreal, yet enchanting.

“On the day of Pentecost all the believers were meeting together in one place. Suddenly, there was a sound from heaven like the roaring of a mighty windstorm, and it filled the house where they were sitting. Then, what looked like flames or tongues of fire appeared and settled on each of them. And everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit and began speaking in other languages as the Holy Spirit gave them this ability.

At that time there were devout Jews from every nation living in Jerusalem. When they heard the loud noise, everyone came running, and they were bewildered to hear their own languages being spoken by the believers.” Acts 2:1-6 New Living Translation

On Pentecost the air was filled with many sounds (the roar of a mighty windstorm, the speaking of other languages, and the astonished and perplexed voices of the people), but in the confusion of the moment the sound that was music to their ears, that they were hearing in their own language, was the words of God and the wonderful things He had done for them. Through the Holy Spirit Peter told the crowd of God’s plan to sacrifice His Son, and raise Him back to life, so that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

Three thousand people believed and were baptized that day. They went back to their homeland and told others about the amazing events, the church grew, and spread across the continent.

Thank you Lord, for the day of Pentecost, because this day the gift of the Holy Spirit was given so that many people would believe. We praise you that, through this extraordinary event, the good news of salvation was spread throughout the world and down through the ages, enabling us to hear those words and come to faith through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Copyright Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Colorado Springs, CO