the breath of God, day 1

Come to Stillness:
Take a few minutes to allow your mind and heart to be still before God.

Opening Prayer:

O Loving God, who breathed me into being, breathe your Divine Breath in me again this day—that I might be filled with your life and guided by the winds of your Spirit.  For the sake of your Son.  Amen. (JLB)

Psalm for the Week: Psalm 104

Scripture for the Day: John 20:19-23

Reading for Reflection:

Even to the last visible moment and beyond (John 20:19-23), Jesus continues to feed the soon-to-be shepherds.  He feeds them with renewal when he comes to the disciples behind their locked doors that Easter night and breathes on them the Holy Spirit.  The Hebrew word ruach means “spirit” as well as “breath” and “”wind.”  With this breathing of the Spirit, Jesus renews and empowers them to fulfill the great mandate to love and lift the burdens from others. (Feed My Shepherds by Flora Slosson Wuellner)

     We preach, yes, but that does not define us.  We visit hospitals, teach classes, counsel, write books, lead retreats, but these activities do not define us.  We work among the poor and champion social justice, but these acts in themselves are not our ultimate definition or identity.  These acts are among our manifold tasks, but they do not in themselves become the core of our identity.  What deeper roots underlie these activities?  Who are we?

     It is an exciting adventure to reread the scriptures, to reflect on Jesus’ relationship with his disciples—especially within the Resurrection narratives—with this one question in mind: Who are we?  In response, one major image and phrase kept surfacing for me: We are the breathed upon.

            Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.

            As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”

            When he had said this, he breathed on them

and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:21-22)

Recently I saw the movie version of C. S. Lewis’s The Silver Chair, the fourth book in The Chronicles of Narnia series.  One of the most powerful and symbolic scenes occurs when Aslan the lion (representing Christ) sends the two children Jill and Eustace to Narnia to find and release the captive prince of that country.  Aslan blows them there with his gentle, powerful breath.  One at a time, they are held in the air and slowly blown over oceans, mountains, chasms, and forests—sustained only by his breath.  To me, this scene portrayed a marvelous image of ministry and of all Christian leadership.  We too are the breathed upon; we are sent forth and sustained by the breath of that Spirit. (Feed My Shepherds by Flora Slosson Wuellner)

Reflection and Listening: silent and written

 

Prayer: for the church, for others, for myself

 

Song for the Week: Wind of God

Spirit, come, like a mighty wind;
Raise these bones back to life again. 
Lift us up from this desert land;
Breathe upon us and we will stand. 
Come and blow, Wind of God;
Blow, Wind of God

Lead us out of our wilderness;
Be our Savior, our hope, and rest.
All our idols have turned to dust;
You alone can deliver us. 

Wind of God, come and blow;
Holy Spirit, let your power flow. 
Stir our hearts, Breath of Life;
Speak your Word, and we will rise. 
Come, revive, come, restore;
We can't live without you, Lord. 
Come and blow, come and blow,
Wind of God

Closing Prayer:

Father, you alone know what lies before me this day, grant that in every hour of it I may stay close to you.  Let me today embark on no undertaking that is not in line with your will for my life, nor shrink from any sacrifice which your will may demand.  Suggest, direct, control every movement of my mind; for my Lord Christ’s sake.  Amen. (A Diary of Private Prayer by John Baillie)