Can you imagine just last week was Easter! Since then we have had a sleet and snowy day on Monday, up and down temperatures in the northern hemisphere and downpours of rain! Families have gone on vacation, or perhaps children have resumed their classes at school, while work continues on as usual. A lot has happened in a week’s time.
Just last week the choir sang the bells rang and resurrection cheer rang out through many congregations. You may know the one: “Christ is risen! Christ is Risen INDEED.”
But that was a long week ago! My wonder is, was Easter all the preachers hyped it up to be? Has new revelation, new life, new hope and possibility become reality within your living? I am fairly certain for children and grandchildren there was candy and chocolate bunnies involved in the celebration of Easter, but what about the resurrection of new life?
How has your daily routines, your prayers, your desires been transformed and equipped differently because of the celebration of Easter this year? Do we hold fast to the certainty that Jesus has overcome the old ways of being in our lives and is indeed creating new possibility out of what looks totally illogically impossible? Has Easter worship come and gone with all the wonderful pomp and trumpet sounds and NOW we are back to the same old same old?
Scripture
Last week Peter, John, and Mary went to the tomb. They looked inside and saw the miracle that Jesus’ body was no longer entombed. John went in the empty tomb and only saw the linen clothes folded neatly, but he believed. However, no one had first-hand experience of the empowerment of God’s resurrection. So, they went back home.
I wonder, when they returned home did they go back to the same old same old routines or did they have expectant joy. After all Mary had burst in with the amazing tale of encountering the risen Jesus outside of the tomb. Were they waiting, wondering, and anticipating when they would experience the power and the presence of the risen Jesus?
The gospel continues in John 20: 19-23, when Jesus met the disciples back in the Upper Room. The disciples were in hiding while they were still trying to take all of this in and figure out what was happening. When suddenly Jesus just appeared in the room!
Jesus greeted them with peace, not just one but twice. This greeting was much more than the typical Hebrew greeting. Jesus is himself peace. He gifted the folks with himself to help them to remember the Scripture. They truly had a first-hand encounter with Jesus; one which seemed totally illogical. Yet Jesus gave disciples peace, not as the world gives, but a peace that only Jesus can give.
Then it happened. Right when Jesus was telling them that they were to live God’s presence in the world. Right on the spot Jesus commissioned them to mission and to tell their story of fist-hand encounter of God’s presence with the world. That is when Jesus breathed on them!
At that very moment the disciples had a choice. They could have held their breath and refused to breath in Jesus’ Holy Spirit – not wanting to get any of his germs – or they could naturally breath which filled them with the Holy Spirit of the risen Jesus and expelled disbelief and anything keeping them away from God. With that breath Jesus infilled them with the power, creativity and courageous energy of God’s spirit to carry on Jesus’ mission and embody his passion and love in this world.
Wow, what a day the disciples had! Their entire character, attitude of heart and soul were transformed from sorrow – looking at life from the logical and experience of the world – to being empowered that is commissioned to live Jesus love by the Holy Spirit!
Today’s Prayer Practice
My wonder remains. How has the celebration of Easter from last weekend, transformed your daily routines of life, your attitude, actions, testimony and witness in the world to God’s power and presence? All circumstances of our lives may remain the same, but how are we transformed from the inside of our being to our outward actions by the breath of the risen Jesus?
Today’s Scripture is about receiving the breath of the risen Jesus and being commissioned to new life ministry. Together let us intentionally seek to receive the breath of Jesus through practice of a Breath Prayer. For complete instruction on Breath Prayer, please scroll down on the online resource page from Living Streams Flowing Water. Once you discover your foundational 6-8 syllable phrase combined with your favorite name for God, you have created your own personal Breath Prayer.
Pray your breath prayer often throughout the day so that you too, like the disciples may be infilled with the peace and presence of the risen Jesus empowering you to new life action.
Enjoy praying
