It’s that time of year when the regular football season comes to an end. For some supporters it’s a time for partying to celebrate championships that have been won and promotions that have been secured to a higher league. For others, it’s a time for grumpiness or even tears denoting relegation to a lower league after a poor season.
For me, I’m afraid it’s the latter! We’re not quite gone yet, but by Sunday evening Hull City may well be gone from the top division. What makes it worse for those of us who support the ‘lesser’ teams is that those from the better teams tend to rub our noses in it with their chanting from the terraces. “Going down, going down, going down!” is what I seem to have heard a lot of opposition supporters singing at Hull City games in recent weeks. Sadly, they may not be wrong. But wait a minute, we still have a chance – where is your faith Allman? All we have to do is beat Manchester United and hope that Newcastle lose too and we will be safe. Will Hull City, the ‘Tigers’, roar with energy and pride or will it be more like Hull City, the ‘Pussycats’, who timidly roll over and get heavily beaten by one of the best teams in the land? Common you Tigers – let’s have a bit of fire in your bellies and do the miracle we who come from ‘Ull are expecting you to produce! We might be the under-dogs but we are not finished yet.
Yep … you’re right, I am deluded! I can but dream. On the day of Pentecost, the under-dogs were not finished either. Everything was against this small group of believers. But these were no longer men and women held prisoner by their fear. They were filled with hope and joy, a hope and joy that spilled over into proclamation and praise. They had an unshakeable conviction in God’s sovereign power over all the earth. Their lives had changed; they had come to trust in God’s ultimate purpose for them and believed that all would indeed be well because Christ would always be with them. To cap it all, God sent the promised Holy Spirit to energise them and give them the gifts they would need to be God’s representatives on earth, taking his gospel message to every land. Fire in their bellies? Most certainly! In fact, fire everywhere. It was not so much a case for them of, “Going down, going down, going down” as “Coming down, coming down, coming down!” The Holy Spirit had been promised and now it was here. Miracles were a plenty and people were saved as a result of the disciples’ witness. Thankfully, one thing I don’t need to dream about is my own personal infilling by the Holy Spirit. The promised Holy Spirit is still here and it’s mine to receive - all I have to do is ask for it. Will you do the same?
Every blessing,
Major Adrian