The first sentence in the Bible introduces the Holy Spirit. Genesis 1:1-2. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form and void and darkness was over the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. It was this remarkably creative spirit that pinpricked the dark night sky with magnificent stars, and lastly created our amazing beating hearts and gave us our compelling breaths. David in Psalm 139:7-8 speaks about an ever-present Spirit. It was very personal for him. He knew God was in the sacred thick of his life. “Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or Where Shall I fall from your Presence? If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there. In Ezekiel 36:27, God says, “I will put my Spirit within you, so you can walk in my ways. And then we hear in Isaiah 11:2: “The spirit of God will rest upon you, a spirit of wisdom and understanding, a spirit of counsel and might, a spirit of knowledge and truth.” These promises are still in place.

We are flesh and bone, but more profoundly we are divine spirit.

The Spirit spoke to Moses, inspired David’s psalms and empowered the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel. The spirit of God sent the dove to Noah, breathed life into Ezekiel’s dry bones, wrestled with Jacob until his heart was turned, and finally saved Job. It is the same spirit that blessed Mary with a baby, empowered Jesus to teach, heal, love, suffer, die and resurrect. It is the rushing winds and tongues of fire that filled the Disciples with special powers to carry on what Jesus had started. The Holy Spirit is animating your life right now too whether you recognize it or not.

This incomparable and ultimate gift of grace is yours and mine. Trust it, be led by it.

Earth is a divinely spirit enchanted world. God is incarnational, dynamic, invested—and working in our every breath. The Holy Spirit bridges the gap between us and God, earth and heaven, our pain and our salvation. It is not something we can see, scientifically measure, or photograph for physical proof. Barbara Brown Taylor said, “the Holy Spirit is something we trust, not something we understand.” We do not deserve it, nor can we earn it. The simple truth is God only knows how to miraculously, unfathomably love us.

The Holy Spirit is the form God takes to move and sustain, create and act, and most especially love. Mysteriously immanent (in time and space with us) and also transcendent (beyond time and space) all at once, the Holy Spirit will communicate and commune with us. When we are awake to God’s presence within us, within others—in truly everything, we see God is daily saving us, and his sacred Creation.

The Bible constantly points to the Mystery. We have the affirming stories of saints and even ordinary folk, the works of theologians and philosophers, and the art of poets, painters and musicians who have captured this “heaven breaking through” reality. But most importantly, we have the life and personhood of Jesus who most profoundly radiated the presence of the Spirit within him. He showed us what it looks like to be led by and trust in the Holy Spirit.

Because of the Holy Spirit we are never alone in this fragile body and imperfect world. Something larger than ourselves is forever buoying us. God is intimately with us from first breath to last. Let this be your Lenten prayer, Come, Holy Spirit, Come!

***Thank you so much to all who came to the Veronica Beard/Soulfull event. We raised over $3,000 for The Evelyn Dieckhaus Shining Light Fund!