After some meditative reflection on some of the school reading I've been doing lately, it has occurred to me that I don't believe in the Trinity. Well, o.k., I do - but DON'T TELL ANYONE IN MY DENOMINATION!!! These are the kinds of things that get folks in my stream in real trouble.

I mean, we (in the denominational sense of the word) believe in God the Father, and of course in Jesus, the Son. But that Holy Spirit person? Not so sure - we'll have to get back to you on that. Oh sure, we like reading about Pentecost, but we're afraid of being Pentecostal. Yeah, yeah, we like reading about healing, but we'd be pretty freaked out if it ever happened in front of our eyes in a church service. And yes, of course, we know what happened in Acts 2 with the whole speaking in tongues thing, but really, we can't go around talking gibberish to one another now, can we?

Basically, we've effectively decided that we'll believe in the Holy Spirit - but only if we can control him, dictate how he is allowed to manifest himself in our lives and our worship (of him, by the way), and only if he just sits back and keeps to himself. Tied up, with a pretty little bow on top. Isn't that nice that we decided to do him that favor?

By the way, before I go further, my sarcasm here is just that - and it isn't of an angry nature. I just find myself scratching my head a lot when I hear people that seem to be pretty smart and certainly are sincere in their faith and want to honor God saying and believing things that look so much like they had to really work hard to come up with their rationales. I just want to ask them, "Do you believe in the Holy Spirit or don't you? Why do you feel like you have to shove him in a box like that?" I do understand that our people have a desire to honor God by worshipping in an orderly and appropriate way. But we far too often react way too strongly and stifle what the Spirit may want to do.

++Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me. (And feel free to do it in any 'ol way you want. Amen++