Seeking the Right Frequency

Editorial by Celeste Ryan Blyden

On Sunday afternoons in the summertime, gardening and chores done, my father often relaxed in the kitchen listening to the New York Mets game on our silver-gray radio, the antenna leaning in whatever direction yielded the strongest signal.

Later in the evening, my mother would take her turn with the radio, summoning me to find her favorite preaching program.

One night, as I turned the dial away from sports, I was abruptly greeted with the sound of static. “Chhh. Chhh.” I kept turning it and, upon hearing a voice, paused, only to be greeted by the croons of country music. “That’s not it,”

I said, moving again into static territory. “Chhh. Chhh.”

A male voice stopped me, but it was the local weather forecaster. “Tomorrow morning will be mostly cloudy,” he said, “but you can expect clear skies ... ”

I interrupted, “That’s not it,” rolling the dial onward through the static malaise. “Chhh. Chhh.”

Though I searched where the voice should have been, I just couldn’t find the right frequency. There was music, news and other programs, but not the sought-after preacher.

Undaunted, my mother waited expectantly. And then, there it was. The familiar voice of the messenger—clear as day— transmitting the words of hope she longed to hear. A

CALL TO PRAY

My childhood experience is like the world in which we live today. There’s a lot of static hampering our quest to hear the still, small voice of the Holy Spirit who was sent to be our Comforter, Counselor and Guide. Though we seek to tune our ears to this heavenly frequency, we often wade through noise and static that besets and distracts. But if we keep listening expectantly and with open hearts, He will come.

The Bible says 120 men and women waited in the upper room for the promised gift from Jesus. And while they waited, they “were constantly united in prayer” (Acts 1:14, NLT). On the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:4 records that “everyone present was filled with the Holy Spirit,” resulting in the baptism of 3,000 new believers (Acts 2:41).

This year, congregations and schools across the North American Division (NAD), including 781 in the Columbia Union, will participate in a NAD evangelism initiative called Pentecost 2025. In preparation, we are praying to be filled and empowered by the Holy Spirit, for opportunities to introduce people to Jesus, and for thousands to be added to His kingdom.

Will you join us?

Celeste Ryan Blyden serves as the executive secretary and prayer coordinator of the Columbia Union Conference.