Just Breathe

Easter is over, the eggs have been found, the candy is still being eaten, and our rejoicing has lulled.  Every year we enter into this season, journey through lent, relive the crucifixtion,celebrate the ressurection, and then we go on. We go on like we do any other holiday. We tuck our decorations and our anticipation away until the next one comes along, and return to our daily routines.  Well, I've just got to say, people, the resurrection doesn't stop on Easter..it's just the beginning!  Christ's death on the cross and resurrection made it possible for us to live free from sin and death..to have new life. 

After Jesus rose from the dead, He appeared to his disciples, and stayed on earth for forty more days!  During this time, He tried to prepare his disciples for what was to come, and He commissioned them to go into all the world preaching this good news.  Just as the disciples were summoned, so are we!  Our ressurection story doesn't end on Easter, it continues every day of our lives. We are to embrace our new freedom and share it with others. 

I am so excited about this period of time leading up to Pentecost. The Ashes to Fire Bible study that I've been doing throughout the Lent/Easter season continues on up to Pentecost, and I am excited to learn more about what Jesus and His disciples did after He came back to life. I want to really dig into what He wanted us to learn from his return. God is already revealing new thoughts and scripture to me. I wanted to share a piece from what we talked about on Saturday.

After Jesus returned he appeared to his disciples in their hideout. While He stood among them, he said "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 20:21-23 He goes on, but I want to stop here for today.  I LOVE this passage.  Jesus breathed on them and they recieved the Holy Spirit.  Sound familiar? When else did God breathe on someone? 

Genesis.

Genesis 2:7 "⁷ Then the LORD God formed a man^[d] from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. "

In the beginning, God breathed his OWN breath into Adam, and he came to life.  Hundreds of years later, God breathed his OWN breath onto the disciples that they might receive...LIFE!  I just find this so exciting.  What an amazing thing for Jesus to do! What a beautiful way for God to bestow this new life..the power of the resurrection.  When we become Chrisitans, our old life is forgiven, dead, gone, and we get a new start, a new life, a new heart, we get to be born again.  Just as Christ confirmed this new life by breathing the Holy Spirit onto these disciples, we too receive this breath of life. 

I know beyond a shadow of a doubt that I have recieved that new life. I can feel it. I have felt that breath revive my soul. I have felt that breath take broken, hollow, bitter, selfish holes and fill them with love, and with peace, and with life. New life..abundant life.  Paul puts it so beautifully:

Galatians 2:20

²⁰ I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Hallelujah! I'm so thankful that all I have to do to remember who I am is just breathe.