This summer we're looking at the Psalms of Ascent. These were songs that pilgrims would sing as they were ascending up the road to Jerusalem. They would help to prepare them to worship. We are looking at them to help us along our own spiritual journey. This week, we're looking at Psalm 120 which is a song asking God to save us from slander.

Jesus’ command to go and make disciples is a call to go out into the places we go and love people as God loves them and teach them to love others as God loves them. The call isn’t relegated to the “professional christians” but to all who profess faith in Christ Jesus. We are able to more effectively do this through the power of the holy spirit who goes before us and also with us.

Pentecost is sort of the birthday of the modern church. It’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Holy Spirit that indwells believers, guiding us along our faith journey. But while we all have the same holy spirit, we have not all had the same experiences. What does it mean for those of us in the western church to be guided by the holy spirit? Does it call us to speak out against the marginalization of other cultures, many of whom are brothers and sisters in Christ? Or does it compel us to use our culture’s power as an avenue to spread the gospel? Or is it something in-between? How do we best lean into the Holy Spirit so that we better display the fruits it is growing in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, faithfulness, self-control?