The image I’ve chosen this Pentecost, for use in the Poustinia, is an unusual one. You will immediately recognise it’s a colourful example of marbling – a technique we associate with the muted tones of the front-papers of old Victorian books. I was arrested by this vivid one for three reasons: Firstly, I watched it come to life last year during an art workshop with homeless people I was helping to lead. I was immediately drawn into its enveloping wildness and energy. Secondly, as soon as it was laid out to dry, in my imagination I was at worship on Pentecost Sunday. The flame-like tongues of reds and yellows seemed to call down the Pentecostal fire of the Acts of the Apostles. Thirdly, the image was made by a homeless woman in recovery from addictions in the care of St George’s Crypt in Leeds. This nervous, downhearted woman had hated art lessons at school but wanted to have a go at marbling. When her three or four sheets were laid out, she was overwhelmed at how beautiful they looked. ‘I can’t believe I’ve just made these’ she said, ‘It’s a miracle!’.
This astonished reaction is at the heart of Pentecost. Like the first nervous, downhearted disciples the woman was gobsmacked by this surge of vibrant life suddenly brought to birth and over which she had little control. I sometimes say to people, Christianity isn’t a religion – it’s step of faith. It’s about trusting God to meet us and kindle his flame within us. Religion is about people like us trying to reach God by our own efforts. It never works. It can’t work. Christianity is about God reaching out to us with his love and forgiveness and fanning into flame the life of the Spirit. What we are required to do is ‘give it a go’ and see what happens.
I was brought up with the chorus:
‘Trust and obey for there’s no other way to be happy in Jesus than to trust and obey’
Our job is to step out in trust and allow the Spirit to create something beautiful of our lives. Step out in trust and allow the Spirit to make us his artists. When filled with the Spirit at Pentecost, the first disciples began to create a worldwide work of art – the church of Jesus Christ. Let’s continue to create it, inspired by the same Spirit today.
David Hawkins Pentecost 2026
