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‘My Spirit that is upon you, and my words that I have put in your mouth, shall not depart out of your mouth …,’ says the Lord, ‘from this time forth and forevermore’ (Isaiah 59:21).

Read Isaiah 59:1–21

Today’s text is a powerful promise from God. God is making a strong agreement with us, promising that his Spirit and words will remain with us forever.

God promises that his Spirit will always be with us, helping us make good choices, giving us strength when we feel weak and comforting us when we are sad. This is not just a temporary thing; it is a forever promise. Knowing that God is always with us gives us confidence and peace.

God’s words are the truths and promises found in the Bible. These words are important because they guide us and teach us how to live. God wants us to keep his words in our hearts and minds, to speak them, and to share them with others. He also wants us to teach these words to our children and grandchildren so they can know and love him, too.

One of the amazing things about this promise is that it is not only for us but for our families, too. God says that his Spirit and his words will be with our children and their children as well. This means that we have a responsibility to pass on our faith to the next generation. We can do this by reading the Bible together, praying and talking about God’s love and his plans for us.

In a world where things are always changing, it is comforting to know that God’s promises are unchanging. He is always faithful, and his love for us never ends. As we think about today’s text, let us be encouraged to stay close to God, to read and speak his words, and to share his love with others. Remember, we are not alone – God is with us, and his promises are true forever. Let us live our lives in a way that honours this amazing covenant, knowing that God’s Spirit and his words are always with us.

How is your church supporting families to pass on the faith to the next generation, and how can you advocate to strengthen this calling?

Pray for young people tasked with leadership positions in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Papua New Guinea (ELC-PNG). Pray God will give them wisdom and discernment and surround them with mentors and encouragers to support and cheer them on.

Jeremiah Chalaparau Moat is the IT Support Officer at the ELC-PNG.

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Be strong, all you people of the land, declares the Lord. Work, for I am with you, declares the Lord of hosts, according to the covenant that I made with you when you came out of Egypt. My Spirit remains in your midst. Fear not (Haggai 2:4b,5).

Read Haggai 2:1–19

The year 2025 began with a tragic wildfire in Los Angeles in the US, killing 24 people, burning more than 5,000 structures, and displacing around 170,000 people. Japan entered the new year with a 7.6-magnitude earthquake, which caused infrastructure damage and the loss of over 280 lives. Since then, there have been national and local disasters and no doubt you have had struggles in your own life. What should we say about all this? Should we fear and lose hope in moving on with our lives? Haggai 2:4b,5 answers: no, we should not. God speaks to us with words of encouragement, consisting of command and promise.

Be strong, work, fear not! We do not know what the future holds. Disasters, injustice and hardships are everywhere. When we try to solve these problems ourselves, we may lose hope, as often the problems are much greater than we are. When we rely on God to carry us through our problems, we will find hope. When we turn to God and listen to his word, we will be strengthened and encouraged. God’s word will take away our fear and build us up. Whatever your current fears are, surrender them to God and listen to his word. Be strong! Whatever your responsibilities and roles are, listen to his word: work courageously and fearlessly.

Why should we be strong and not fear? Because God is with us, and the Spirit of God remains within us. This is what God wants to remind us of as we celebrate the season of Pentecost. This wonderful promise is our strength and hope in facing all kinds of struggles, as our God is much greater than all those struggles. His Spirit strengthens us in our weakness, leads us in the darkness and heals our wounds. We can lean on and rest in him who says, ‘I am with you!’ Whatever troubles may come, be strong and continue the work God has given us because the Spirit of God remains in our midst to care for us now and forever.

How does the promise that the Spirit is with you help you amid the problems you are currently experiencing?

Pray for the work of the Lutheran World Federation as it spreads the good news of the transformative power of the gospel in word and action.

Rev Dr Rospita Siahaan is the Regional Secretary for Asia at the Lutheran World Federation.

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And I came to you in weakness … My speech and my proclamation were made not with persuasive words of wisdom but with a demonstration of the Spirit … (1 Corinthians 2:3a,4).

Read 1 Corinthians 2:1–16

Today’s text seems like a strange Scripture for Pentecost. Paul describes how his speech is not lofty but low, how he does not come with wisdom but with weakness. More specifically, he proclaims that his message is only Christ crucified. Paul’s words clash with what we usually associate with Pentecost: receiving the spectacular gifts of the Spirit, speaking in tongues, wowing a crowd, launching a world-changing movement.

Sometimes, God’s Spirit bestows presents that are easy to recognise and rejoice about, like healing, evangelistic success and intimate communion with God. But mostly, the Spirit moves in hidden ways that we cannot naturally regard as desirable. The Holy Spirit often gives weakness, empowering us to rely all the more on God alone. The Holy Spirit gives us faith in the crucified one who cries out and dies – and in this Christ alone, not in some unscarred conqueror, do we receive God’s power to overcome sin, death and the devil.

The Spirit is present and powerful and gives love, joy and peace. Here, Paul reveals how Christ’s Spirit abides with us in our lives, struggles and all. When Jesus was full of the Holy Spirit, the same Spirit drove him into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. Immediately afterwards, Jesus, still filled with the Spirit, taught throughout Galilee and was praised by everyone (Luke 4:1–15). Baptised into Christ, our Spirit-filled lives take a similar shape.

Here in Papua New Guinea, I often feel weak and foolish. But sometimes, there are moments when I am able, by God’s grace, to communicate the gospel with clarity to my students. In this, it is the Holy Spirit who is at work. The same is true for you. United by faith with Christ through your baptism, your life is in the Spirit. When you tremble with fear like Paul, when you can do nothing but point to the defeated Christ on the cross, and when you find yourself swept up in the joyful power of Pentecost, you are sustained and filled by the Spirit.

Where do you notice the Holy Spirit at work in your weakness?

Pray for Andrew, Meredith, Bea and Hans Ronnevik, sent by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, as they communicate the gospel through the strength of the Holy Spirit in Papua New Guinea.

Rev Andrew Ronnevik is a lecturer at Martin Luther Seminary in Papua New Guinea.