Week 5 | Day 2 | The Breath of God

Command:

Read:

Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” John 20:22 (NLT)

Reflect:

How can we tune ourselves into the Holy Spirit? In what ways can we acknowledge the tender ways God reveals himself to us?

React:

When I think of our almighty God of the Universe, a God who knows all, sees all, understands all…I often forget to think about how he tenderly cares for his flock - how tenderly he cares for us. 

When I read this verse, I usually focus on the giving of the Holy Spirit - this incredible gift that we’re given when we place our hope and trust in Jesus. But as I was preparing to write this devotional, I found myself drawn to the phrase “he breathed on them.” I was struck by the tenderness of it. The idea that there was nothing forceful or pretentious when he gave us the life changing gift of the Holy Spirit - it was his breath that gave us life and a helper to do life with, so we are not alone.

The Bible mentions God’s breath in a few other places. Job 26:13 (NASB) says, “by his breath the heavens are cleared.” Job 33:4 (NASB) says, “the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 32:8 (NIV) says, “the breath of the Almighty gives them understanding,” and Psalm 33:6 (ESV) says, “by the word of the Lord the heavens were made, and by the breath of his mouth all their host.”

God’s breath is life. His breath gives life to our lungs and whispers in the wind that he’s with us, he loves us, and we are never without his help. 

Pray:

Father, thank you for giving us the gift of the Holy Spirit. Thank you that you have given us a helper, a tender reminder that you never leave us and want what’s best for us.