“Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and to the other apostles, ‘Brothers, what should we do?’ Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, AND FOR ALL WHO ARE FAR AWAY, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to him.’” Acts 2:37-39

You can start from “far away” - faraway in time, geographically faraway, faraway in heart…. The “call” spans the distance of language, culture, predisposition, prejudice and plain ole stubbornness. It breaches the barrier of crossed-armed cynicism, eases up to wounded hearts, enlivens the conscience with fresh awareness and a liberal offer of forgiveness and family.

The Spirit that hovered over the chaos at creation (Gen.1), hovers over the chaos today for re-creation. This is no absent or disinterested deity, but a vulnerably present, invested Lover/Author who risks speech.

The simple words, “Let there be light”, could not be resisted by the darkness. A barren world could not prevent those generative words, “Be fruitful”. This is THAT Spirit. Making up for the mess and improvising with the imperfect, the Spirit (if necessary), is resigned to start again. New birth. New name. New life. New you. A new us…and we start from here.

What if you believe? Believing creates possibilities that didn’t exist before. Sometimes believing is the only difference between “over the top” and “going under”. If you hear the call, don’t wait. Say “yes” before it gets away. What have you got to lose? Believe the “gift” is for you. Why not you? You are not too far away.

The Spirit specializes in the stretch, loves the long-shot, partial to the no-chance, the hard-to-handle and the too-far-gone. You will breathe again, sit up and see again, take fresh hope and live again. If the Spirit is jamming you up it is to win your heart. Give it up. “Lay your weary head to rest” and let him carry you. The time for walking will come, but for now, let go, weep, and let him carry you.

You’re in a position where you need help. He is in a position to give it. You need a miracle. He can make that happen (and one miracle is all you need!).

When you are called, you are called by name. It’s a personalized invitation, calling you to new possibilities, to place, to community… calling you home.