I am nearing the close of Michael Card’s book “The Fragile Stone” about Peter and Jesus.  This crucial section is about Peter in the Book of Acts being interrupted by the Holy Spirit! I will finish – well I won’t – because we are never finished in our movement by the Holy Spirit are we ? ! ?

Fittingly, I was interrupted many times reading and writing this about the Spirit interrupting! Just now I am waiting for an elderly neighbor at a store, then will take her to the post office. Interestingly she was going to call me for a ride this morning, started walking instead and then I drove by, picked her up. Like the theme of the day – to be where the Holy Spirit needs us to be.

The last bits of Michael Card’s book about Peter tells how he grew up in faith, how Peter spiritually MATURED –  and he was EVER realizing that if the Spirit doesn’t lead, we all go nowhere.  Peter was led into the world’s nooks and crannies to where God needed him. We don’t get a biography of the journey, but you can bet Peter never lacked being in the Lord’s plans – we, like he, will NEVER be bored…

For Peter, as Michael Card educates, this increasingly meant he was in the world of the Gentiles – unclean to a Jew, but included, loved and blessed by God. Grace for everyone under the Son. Peter lived in a tanner’s house (unclean and yuck!) and later was called to Cornelius’s house, unclean unclean, but true believers they became! Grace Grace Grace. Peter was forced to explain his actions to the Jewish Christian community. STUNNED. Peter was led by and pushed by the Spirit. And we, like Peter, often see the Spirit moving way ahead of us.

Yes, Jesus did say “the harvest is plentiful but the workers few”.

Peter was tasked by the Lord to reach past “his people” to reach Gentiles. Cornelius was visited by an angel who told him to call for Peter, and Peter went! Peter saw how God’s Holy Spirit poured out onto them, the members of a Gentile’s house, and this Holy Spirit movement was crucial for the growth of the church and Spirit-directed. The Holy Spirit also made it so important for Peter to recount the story back to “his kind”. He had to get alignment to not his plan but The Plan, to SPREAD THE WORD.

Peter, such an important piece of the puzzle, the building of the church, well known hands and feet for the Holy Spirit to be used… He got to see such a powerful and generous Holy Spirit. So will we.

How fitting – we too are on a journey and have to know that God is going to push us too – to GROW.

To feel the Spirit push you, stop fighting the winds.

To see the Lord put you somewhere, ask Him for directions.

To be interrupted by the Spirit? Welcome to the generous nature of God. 

All LEADERS, MUST be a follower FIRST. 

“Come Holy Spirit, fall afresh on me”

Amen!!!