Good morning…
In an unusual act, I set my alarm for just before 3:00 am, intending to pause and to change the message I had pre-programmed very early in the morning. A fifty-five year old husband, father, and friend to many was laid to rest yesterday, four days after he died in a freak car accident. I wanted to alter my morning message to speak into our confused, grief-ladening community. I thought I set my alarm for 2:50 am, but for some uncanny reason when our dog hopping onto our bed, I looked at the clock and “3:31” blared back. The message I intended to override was sent to our subscribers at 3:00 am, a message ironically entitled “Is This A God-Thing?”
Overriding my human intention to write healing words for our hurting community, God spoke into our collective grief with a morning message about Holy Spirit power. God took us back to the first apostles who were grieving the shocking death of Jesus, their close friend with whom they had been walking and talking just days before. In an earlier conversation with Jesus, Peter answered him, “We have left everything to follow you! What then will there be for us?” (Matthew 19:27, NIV). With Jesus dead, what was left for those grieving?
Resurrection power. Filled with Holy Spirit power, these ordinary people kept talking about Jesus, kept sharing their favorite stories, kept telling everyone about this incredible man who had changed their lives. As we now know, Jesus’ life multiplied in power, touching life after life with joy and peace, so much so that still 2000 years later people keep sharing their own Jesus stories.
Resurrection power is God’s gift after death. Yes, healing, unstoppable Holy Spirit power is definitely a God-thing.
For the friends and family members grieving the sudden loss of an incredible man, I pray that God, the source of hope, will fill you completely with joy and peace because you trust in him. Then you will overflow with confident hope through the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13, NLT).
…Sue…
P.S. Please touch on this link if you missed yesterday’s morning message, “Is This A God-Thing?”
