John 20:22 – And with that [Jesus] breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit." (NIV)

Often, as my day unfolds, I have a hymn ringing through my soul, both the music and the words. It usually is a hymn that I have known since childhood. "Breathe on me, breath of God" is with me today, and I wonder what God is trying to tell me. Am I not breathing in the breath of life as I get older? I get so tired these days. Is this tiredness from the lack of spiritual breath, lacking taking in God's wonderful life in me? I need to focus on God's breath in me. Does this need speak to you too?

I have been trying all my life to do what Jesus would do here and now. He has been my guide. It is as if the breath of God is giving me guidance and strength every day, and is with me also as I write this devotional.

Lately, though, I have been more aware of the need not only to breathe in strongly, but also to breathe out just as strongly. As folk today rush about doing this and that, health professionals tell us that we all are suffering as our blood pressure goes up from stress. In our rushing, we aren't taking the time to breathe out fully and completely, and so people have blood pressure problems. I am learning to breathe out better than I ever have before. As my focus is on the breath mechanism of the human body, I also wonder how God's breath in us affects all this. Are you, too, rushing around each day, tired and restless? Are we pushing too hard?

Yet the Holy Spirit comes to us through the breath of God in us. Wow! Have you received the breath of God as the Holy Spirit enters your life? God's power, like air, is everywhere. We need Him as much as we need air.

The actual presence of God in us is our daily connection with abundant life. The divine power is all around us. Just as we need to breathe Him in, it is very important to breathe Him out through sharing His love with others. It is this power, God's love shared with others, that helps us all. So, are we breathing out His love? Or are we keeping His love and power to ourselves and so have little spiritual energy? It's through the sharing of God's love that we grow in His love!

Colossians 1:27 tells us that God in us is the hope of glory. Let's ask God to come into us today, and He will offers us His hope and His power to live by. This is the life that God directs each day, and it is beautiful. The way ahead is clear. We need worry no more. Let's just trust in the Lord with all our might, and as we share His loving presence with others, He will guide us and fill us with glory! We are happily energized each day.

Prayer: Lord, we open to You at a deeper level today, breathing in Your love and power. Teach us also to open up to others, sharing Your love and power with all in need. Thus we will be energized to live fully with Jesus in us, empowering us with His love and guidance. In Jesus' name, we pray. Amen.

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