April 8, 2010
 
DEVOTION: God's Living Spirit
 
By Beth Bondurant
 
Where have you seen or felt God's Spirit with you today?
 
For those who lost loved ones in the tragic mine explosion... it may take time before their hearts and minds can even remember or be able to verbalize God's Spirit with them "through the valley of the shadow of death".
 
Doubting Thomas wasn't there when other disciples actually saw God's living Spirit... thus his need for physical verification along with the "stories". Sometimes even seeing and hearing is not enough when our hearts are heavy with grief and sadness. Only until Thomas could touch Jesus hand, feet and side did he believe.
 
God's Spirit moves around us constantly but until we recognize that close relationship this amazing fact isn't always apparent.
 
A young man being interviewed at the WV mine said he had come to "be with" the families "waiting for word" of their loved ones as he had lost his Dad in the same manner and felt MOVED to be present.
 
When we feel drawn to someone... to bring hope and healing... God's Spirit is moving.
 
A dream... a distant memory... a current experience ... may be encouraging you to act in supportive... comforting... compelling ways to bring goodness and mercy to others.
 
God is with us... and inspires our compassion.
 
Even circumstances beyond our control ... such as being caught in a traffic jam... having to stay home for rest and recovery... power outages... a day off... may allow us the opportunity to breathe in God's Spirit and be more attune to God's presence and peace.
 
God's living Spirit propels in and around everything and everyone even when we least expect it.
 
Often we do seek God's living Spirit in certain places and people... yet when you want to bring grace, peace, hope and love to others... you find God's living Spirit within and without.