Read: John 20:19-23
He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (v. 22)
Leaves blew and trees swayed in the brisk wind outside. An abandoned plastic bag danced across the open clearing, swirling high and dropping low. I thought of the breath of God’s Spirit, often compared to wind. It’s a mystery, where the wind comes from and where it goes. Like the wind, we can’t see the Holy Spirit, yet we can see and sense his presence, in powerful and gentle ways.
Jesus gave a beautiful gift to his disciples, the breath of his Holy Spirit. He promised to clothe his disciples with “power from on high” (Luke 24:49). Filled with the Spirit, the apostles, who were mostly uneducated men, went on to preach and heal in Jesus’ name; they founded the church, which spread throughout the world. We have the same Holy Spirit living in us today, a live-in teacher, guide, and power source.
The incarnation is not over; we’re it, through the Holy Spirit. Where is the evidence? The Spirit is powerful, for instance in miraculous healings or the courage of those who go into dangerous places for the sake of the gospel. The Spirit is gentle, as in a personal conviction of sin, a timely word, or a sense of peace in prayer. I wonder what could be possible if we realized the full potential of this gift? —Bonnie Nicholas
As you pray, ask God to reveal the Spirit’s work, and help you surrender to the Spirit in your life.
About the Author
Bonnie Nicholas, LMSW, retired in 2020 after serving as Director of Safe Church Ministry in the Christian Reformed Church in North America.
