Many are the times I wished I would have followed the advice that I would give to my children when they became upset or angry because of what was said or done to them. I would tell them to “take a deep breath and count to ten” before responding.
I am reminded of this whenever I hear the words in John 20:22 being read – “And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” It seems my advice to “take a deep breath and count to ten” is echoing in my memory. I think I am hearing Jesus say to his disciples and us “take a deep breath of my Holy breath and receive my peace.”
Each time Jesus appears to his disciples after his resurrection, he greets them with “Peace be with you” and I ask myself, why does the risen Christ repeatedly speak this greeting? Is it because he knows their lives are in turmoil with all the uncertainty caused by the events of Passion Week? Is it a theological statement about receiving reconciling peace with God now that sin and death havebeen overcome? Or is Jesus simply modeling how he expects his disciples to greet one another? The answer is probably “yes” to all three possibilities.
It was while the disciples are trembling with anxieties and fears, that the resurrected Jesus enters the room and gives them the only remedy that could remove their fear and restore their peace and confidence. “Again Jesus said, “Peace with you!” As the Father has sent me, I am sending you. And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
His greeting, “Peace be with you” was the offering of his gift of peace, the fruit of his sacrificial death and resurrection, to his disciples. This gift of peace could and would remove the fear that was holding them hostage. It was fear that chased the disciples to hide behind locked doors.
It is important for us to understand that these surprise visits by Jesus were no superficial, neighborly visits, but rather needed events to confirm and reassure his disciples that he can and will keep his promise to always be present with them to protect, provide, and empower them through every scary situation of uncertainty and darkness in their life.
We also need to understand that his gift of “peace” is wrapped within a living, daily relationship with himself. It is in relationship with Jesus and his Holy Spirit living within us, that we are given empowerment to break out of fear’s stronghold on us and into a life of peace within ourselves and to peacemaking with others.
Just as Jesus breathed the Holy Spirit onto his disciples to empower them to carry forward his mission of forgiveness, healing, and peace in the world, so also, in the same manner, he empowers and commissions us to go into the world making disciples.
Living in this environment of Holy empowerment is as simple as daily “taking a deep breath” of God’s holy breath. For as we deeply breathe in God’s holy breath, we inhale his profound wisdom and love for doing his will on earth as it is in heaven.
Furthermore, as we deeply breathe in God’s breath, creativity is awakened and in many ways we become co-creators with God. And as his co-creators, we are empowered to breathe new life and hope into difficult and often threatening situations and relationships by breathing peace into responses and solutions that will help bring resolution of the crisis or difficulty.
It would be good for us to awake each morning by taking a few moments to sense the presence of God in Jesus breathing on us and saying to us, “Peace be with you! Receive the Holy Spirit.”
And then being awakened and reassured of God’s presence and love, we can pray the hymn written by Edwin Hatch in 1878, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God.”
Breathe on me, breath of God; Fill me with life a-new,
That I may love what Thou dost love, and do what Thou wouldst do.
Breathe on me, breath of God, un-til my heart is pure,
Un-til with Thee I will one will, to do and to endure.
Breathe on me, breath of God, till I am whol-ly Thine,
Un-til this earth-ly part of me glows with Thy fire divine.
Breathe on me, breath of God; So shall I nev-er die,
But live with Thee the per-fect life of Thine e-ter-ni-ty.
I believe these few moments each morning will encourage and empower us to keep breathing new life and hope into our every activity and relationship throughout the day. And then each evening before we sleep, give thanks to God for his enabling Holy Spirit and gift of peace.
<><><><><>
“Healing Rays of Righteousness” – June 9, 2021
Ray M. Geigley
Healing Rays of Righteousness 
Comments on: "Taking A Deep Breath" (1)
>
LikeLike