The Fruit of the Spirit
Scripture Reading — Galatians 5:16-26
The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness …
Galatians 5:22-23
Today is Pentecost, the day on which we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Spirit’s coming changed a lot of things. Fear-filled disciples became courageous for the Lord. Peter, who earlier had denied Jesus, stood fearlessly before a crowd and proclaimed Christ as the risen Lord. The Spirit’s coming signaled the birth of the church and turned the Roman Empire upside down.
But this is not just a past event. The Holy Spirit came to stay. He came to change our lives, our homes, our families. And, according to Luke 11:13, the Holy Spirit is ours for the asking. Jesus says, in effect, “If you who are sinful know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give his Spirit to those who ask him?”
When you and I ask for the Spirit in our lives, we will be able to show the fruit of the Spirit. When the spiritual fruit matures, our marriages will become more and more what God intends them to be. Our homes will reflect the kind of relationships God has in mind for us.
Ask God today for a personal Pentecost in your life, in your marriage, and in your family. Ask him each day to fill you with his fullness, and when you do, you too will be able to show the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Spirit of the living God, fall afresh on us. Melt us, mold us, fill us, use us. In your strength, help us to produce fruit that shows we are children of God. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
About the author — Arthur J. Schoonveld
Rev. Art Schoonveld is a retired minister in the Christian Reformed Church. Before retiring in 2001, he served churches in California, Illinois, and Michigan. Since his retirement he has worked part-time for the denomination and has served as an interim pastor. Art and his wife, Anita, have four children and nine grandchildren.
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