Eastertide Breath
Scripture — Romans 8:11 (NRSV)
The Spirit of God, who raised Jesus from the dead, lives in you. And just as God raised Christ Jesus from the dead, he will give life to your mortal bodies by this same Spirit living within you.
Focus
As we journey on through the season of Eastertide, may you slow down with the disciples on the road of Emmaus and watch for signs of resurrection.
Devotion
The Spirit of resurrection is alive today. That breath of God that animated dirt still animates souls. Today that breath can pick up wind and that wind can enter your mortal lungs and declare: let there be life. Today when you opened up your eyes, it was that divine breath that gave you life in your lungs and light in your eyes. You woke up. Selah!
As we journey on through the season of Eastertide, may you slow down with the disciples on the road of Emmaus and watch for signs of resurrection.
The same Spirit that hovered over the waters in Genesis is living within you.
The same Spirit that animated the dirt to create the first humans is living within you.
The same Spirit that hovered over Miriam and the women who danced all night while a strong wind of God’s Spirit opened the Red Sea is living within you.
The same Spirit that fell over the prophets like Isaiah and Micah, Deborah and Huldah, is living within you.
The same Spirit that anointed Jesus at his baptism is living within you.
The same Spirit that led Jesus into the wilderness and delivered him from temptation is living within you.
My friend Joel told us recently during a communal sermon, “there is no timeline to resurrection and there are no rules to resurrection.” So breathe; the Spirit can resurrect you in small breaths, before, during and after Pentecost. Don’t rush resurrection.
It does not have to be sensational, but it definitely can include your senses. It could just begin with your breath. God promises to give you life in all the places where we are gasping for God’s breath.
Reflect
As you journey through Eastertide, how is resurrection going?
Act
I invite you to engage in a morning breath prayer before you get out of bed:
_Breathe your life in me today. _
Inhale and exhale slowly 3 times.
Breathe your life in me today.
Pray
Breath of life, Spirit of resurrection, breathe your life in our lungs. May we slow down and pause in the morning when we rise and before we open our eyes, be attentive to your divine breath. Breath of resurrection, breathe life in all the places where your life is needed in our mortal bodies, in our mortal relationships, in our mortal workplaces. We can do nothing without your breath. Amén.
Find all Life for Leaders devotions here. Explore what the Bible has to say about work at the unique website of our partners, the Theology of Work Project. Reflection on today’s Life for Leaders theme can be found here: Living According to the Spirit Leads to a New Quality of Life (Romans 8:1–14).
Inés Velásquez-McBryde
Chaplain at Fuller Theological Seminary & Pastor, Preacher, Speaker
Inés Velásquez-McBryde is a pastor, preacher, reconciler and mujerista theologian. She is the lead pastor and co-founder of The Church We Hope For. She is originally from Nicaragua, a third generation pastor, and the first pastora in her family. Inés earned her MDiv at Fuller Theolo...