Experiences of God can be dramatic, can be more subtle, but they most often surprising, unexpected and sometimes not even asked for. Pentecost is about the power and grace of God being spread widely and almost indiscriminately. Jesus chose ordinary folks to be his first followers, people who by no means had it all together, disciples who sometimes seemed to have an incredible ability to not get the message and need Jesus to illustrate and re-illustrate what he meant. Pentecost is the beginning of these ordinary people becoming extraordinary Christians, indeed people that we hold up 2000 years later as some of the best examples of faithfulness and insight.

When I think of all the guides I have had in my life they have been, Sunday school teachers, colleagues, and mostly and an awful lot of talented fellow pilgrims along the way. As our faith matures, we are also called to become guides for others. Being a follower of Jesus means that we thrive on passing on the good news and living the good news. It’s about paying it forward to the next generation and those who have not had the same nurturing we’ve had.