Trinity and Humanity

Recently my wife and I had the opportunity to take our daughters to see Disney’s Frozen on Ice. It was a marvelous experience. As a parent I can think of no greater joy that to see my children’s faces light up with wonder and amazement. My older daughter is in her first year of Middle School yet I saw resurrected in her the little girl that first captured my heart. My younger daughter was so overwhelmed by the show that several times she hugged my arm and looked at me as though I was the greatest dad in the world for taking her to see it.

So when we got there (one hour early) my wife and I gave each other a knowing look.  A few minutes after we’d settled in our seats we both noticed something. There was plenty of noise in the arena and we were two seats apart because as most parents do we’d bracketed our kids in for safety. Though the place was awash in the noise of thousands of conversations taking place at once- even though we were too far apart to really talk about it- I knew what Davina was thinking or rather I knew what she had sensed in that arena.

Among the thousands of families, moms, dads, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and children there was a familiar spirit that could be felt. At times I almost thought I could have reached into the air and put some of it in my pocket… it was that tangible. The spirit was of love and joy, unbridled happiness and innocence. Little boys and little girls waited in anticipation for what would, for some, be the experience of a lifetime.

Disney’s Frozen is the old fairy tale The Ice Queen and it is a story about mutual other-centered love and I can tell you that in that arena the Holy Spirit was not only present but manifest in a very noticeable and powerful way.

In Acts 2:17 Peter told the assembly on Pentecost that the Holy Spirit had been poured out on all flesh. The Holy Spirit is present in and with every single human being. Paul the Apostle said that the Holy Spirit is in each of us calling out “Abba Father”. Abba Father! The love song of the Father and his eternal faithful Son that is held together in the communion of the Holy Spirit is being sung inside each of us.

Is it any wonder then that this song of mutual other-centered love would come to expression whether those through whom it is expressed know it or not?

And is it any wonder that the Holy Spirit would be noticeably manifest among thousands of families basking in the joy of it all? I’d venture a guess that the Father, Son, and Spirit, who have included humanity in their very circle of love and life, were glorified as we sang along with every song!

~Bill Winn