LIVING FLAME

Photo by Gabrielle Johnson (ChasingHorizons)

A Poem by Sylvia Wagner

At Pentecost, the Holy Spirit burst out;

He amazed the disciples with flame.

He enabled the apostles to leap

to languages they did not previously know —

Behold!

The gospel burst forth from the mouths

of simple ones, timid ones, imperfect ones,

and it spread as heaven’s wildfire.

The gospel did not break; it continues

to gush forth with power

and bear fruit forever.

And the Holy Spirit is not a “once-only” burst,

like a water balloon filled up and then popped,

but an everlasting explosion of life

with and infinite and matchless God.

This person of the Godhead

burns on and lives in us.

Forever

a seal,

and mighty.

God continues to make the gospel

burst forth today,

nurturing the flame, inspiring it to grow.

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Sylvia Wagner enjoys reading the Bible, reading fiction and nonfiction, writing, sewing, walking around,

spending time with her family, and being with her community. She wants to grow in loving and

glorifying God. She lives with her family in southern California.