Our Breath of Peace

How many days I've wandered.
Confused in my own thoughts.
Trying to reason, trying to understand.

If you've ever suffered times of hopelessness, uncertain of which way to turn, I totally get it. You think back on days when life seemed easier. The times when your routine was simple and ordered.

Maybe you've made a choice that has turned your world upside down. You can't take it back. You can't get a do-over. But it's so hard to move forward when you're beating yourself up, wishing you could just re-wind.

You are totally normal.
Everyone feels this way at times.

It's how disciples must have felt after they had been following Jesus for three years. They grew more and more dependent on His leading, believing t
all that Kingdom talk meant He was going to overthrow the Roman rule. They must have believed freedom was near.

Then He was crucified.
He was dead.
He was gone.

All their hopes and dreams died with Jesus. And they had no history book to make sense of it like we do.

So on that third day when He reappeared to Mary and the two on the road to Emmaus, the stories were just too much to believe.

But these words seemed like nonsense to them, and they did not believe the women. Luke 24:11

How much like our life today.
Confusing, filled with nonsense, difficult to find our way.

Thankfully, we have hope knowing that Jesus left us the gift of His Spirit... the breath of life. How beautiful that He appeared to the disciples and He spoke a word of peace over them, then breathed on them.

But this was not just earthly oxygen and carbon dioxide exchanged. This was a holy breath, like that given at the creation of the first human.

Dust gathered together from earth, breathed into, life given... eternal life.

And we too can receive such.
The Holy Spirit, full of peace to take away the hopelessness.
The Holy Spirit, living within us daily to light the way in darkness.
The Holy Spirit, comforting us, even in the lonely times.

Breathe in, Christian...
RECEIVE the breath of Christ.
The Holy Spirit is yours for the taking.

He can help make sense of the confusion.
He can lead you even after a mistake.
He will love you no matter where you are, no matter what.

Breathe in, Christian...
RECEIVE Our Breath of Peace!