Sunday Devotion

Welcome to the Sunday Devotion. Today is Pentecost – the 50th day after Passover commemorating the day so long ago when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, just as Jesus had promised. All done in a marvelous and miraculous way.
  “Suddenly there was a noise from heaven like the sound of a mighty wind! It filled the house where they were meeting. Then they saw what looked like fiery tongues moving in all directions, and a tongue came and settled on each person there.”  (Acts 2:2-3)

Yes, that image is miraculous, but we need to realize the full miracle is that the Holy Spirit came to stay. It was not just for the people of that time. It was for us today, a true testament to God’s everlasting love. Do you ever wonder why God gave us the Holy Spirit?

Jesus taught about God’s love. He spoke about it and he showed it in the way he lived his life. When Jesus died he told the disciples that he was leaving, but he promised they would never be alone because God would send the gift of the Holy Spirit. Why? So God could remain close to us. That is a profound statement…  the gift of the Holy Spirit is so God could remain close to us. Are we really talking about God’s intentional desire to be close to us? It is He that is seeking us? Don’t we usually think of it as us seeking God?

Think of a time when you opened your heart and sought the comfort, guidance, and support of the Holy Spirit. It was an intentional act on your part.  Now think of a time when you were not seeking the Holy Spirit, but you felt its presence anyway.  It was an intentional act of God.

I find it interesting that we talk about inviting or “invoking” the Spirit of God to be with us at the beginning of our worship services. If we acknowledge that God is always with us, I think we are misidentifying that moment at the beginning of our worship services. We are not opening the church door and calling for God to enter. We are opening ourselves to receive God’s presence – through the Holy Spirit.

I particularly love the hymn, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”. I love the image of feeling God’s breath on me. God would have to be so close for me to feel His breath. So close. I know He is all around us, but to realize He is that close that I should, could and would feel His breath startles my mind. It must have been like that on that day when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples.

Let me leave you with that hymn. “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”.  Take a deep breath 3 times. Click on the link and close your eyes. Feel God’s breath upon you.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ph-t8P2r_I

God is seeking you today and at this very moment. Feel his breath?
Author: Bonnie Barber