Did you know that there is a whole litany dedicated to invoking the presence of the Holy Spirit in The Book of Alternative Services? It’s on page 123. As I look at it again, I wonder why, if I take being charismatic seriously, I wouldn’t be praying this daily — perhaps even hourly! It would be as easy as 1-2-3, wouldn’t it?
“Come, Holy Spirit,” it says. Repeatedly. Ten times! Amen to that.
In each petition, it describes one of the Holy Spirit’s activities or properties: creator (Gen 1:2), counsellor or helper (John 14:16, 26, 15:26, 16:7), power from on high (Luke 1:35, 24:49, Acts 1:8), breath of God (Job 33:4, John 20:22), wisdom and truth (Eph 1:17, John 14:17, 26, 15:26, 16:7, 13). Come, Holy Spirit, with all those attributes, indeed!
Here are the five petitions associated with these:
- Renew the face of the earth
When I pray this, I think of revival and all the great awakenings the Lord has wrought through the ages — of hearts strangely warmed, repentance, lives lived in Scriptural holiness, justice in the marketplace and full churches. Thoroughly prayer-worthy.
- Touch our lips that we may proclaim your word
Most of us Anglicans need to be a little touched in this way — considerably more than we are, actually. I know, I know; St. Francis said share the gospel always and in every way and, if necessary, use words. Words, I suspect, are necessary more often than we would like (Rom 10:14). Try this prayer and, as the Holy Spirit touches your lips, write down and memorize a simple statement of why Jesus and your church are important to you. It doesn’t have to be theological or literary. Just something honest and in your own words, using the word “Jesus” at least once, describing how you have been blessed and the hope you enjoy because of his presence in your life. Then pray and watch for opportunities to share it (1Pet 3:15) with the people in your life who have not yet tasted and seen how good the Lord is.
- Make us agents of peace and ministers of wholeness
Being Spirit-filled certainly helps with this (Gal 5:22-23). Agents of peace and ministers of wholeness are agents of reconciliation (2Cor 5:18-20). By the way they behave, they encourage and help people to be reconciled with God and with one another.
- Give life to the dry bones of this exiled age, and make us a living people, holy and free
The truth is, “this fragile earth, our island home” (Eucharistic Prayer 4, BAS, p201) is a temporary one. We are away from the Lord (2Cor 5:6-10), exiled for now and so our bones dry out and we die. But resurrection is coming — a home-coming (John 14:1-6, Heb 11:14-16) and a new city (Heb 11:10). There is Holy “sauce” for these dry bones of ours that enlivens us, sanctifies us and sets us free from sin and death. Only Jesus has the recipe.
- Strengthen us in the risk of faith
John Wimber, founder of the Vineyard movement, said faith is spelled R-I-S-K. To R-I-S-K is the only way to experience any assurance of things hoped for and to be convinced of things I haven’t yet seen with my own eyes. Goethe, the 18th century German writer, once wrote: “The dangers of life are many and safety is one of them.” This prayer will help us to avoid playing it safe. Aslan, wrote CS Lewis, is good, but he is not safe. Neither should we be. Ours is to step out in faith and let the Holy Spirited winds of God blow through our hair.
In his book, Seeking Spirituality: Guidelines for Christian Spirituality for the Twenty-First Century (Hodder & Stoughton: 1998), Fr Ronald Rolheiser wrote about how Paul, after he had been knocked over and heard the voice of Jesus on the road to Damascus, “got up off the ground and walked into his ecclesial future ‘with his eyes open, seeing nothing’ (Acts 9:8) — which is a marvelous description of all of us on the day when we made our commitments in marriage, parenthood, priesthood, religious life, or any other deep vocation; we stared ahead into the future with our eyes wide open, seeing nothing, and walked, probably with some enthusiasm, into that future.” (pp118-119) May the Lord so strengthen me and you, that we may forgo mere safety and set out on the R-I-S-K-y road with our eyes front, wide open and looking for adventure!
Oh, and one more thing. I’d add the following petition: Come, Holy Spirit, gift giver, may we earnestly desire the manifestation of your Spirit in all your spiritual gifts, especially that we may prophesy. Come, Holy Spirit, come.
R-I-S-K. Easy as 1-2-3. Amen and amen!
Gene+
This was published in Taste and See…, Anglican Renewal Ministries (ARM) Canada’s quarterly magazine three years ago. Visit https://www.armcanada.org/ to subscribe and for more info.
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