The Spirit Breaks In, Expanding Our Vision

Imagine that you are a seagull casually flying in from the  Mediterranean, hovering for a spell above the Jordan River. It is a beautifully hot day and the wind floats you aloft. All is good. All is peaceful. 

Suddenly the heavens open. Power fills the sky. You can feel the air vibrate. The Spirit breaks in. A dove descends. The God of glory  thunders, the voice of the Lord over the waters: “This is my beloved  Son, with whom I am well pleased.” 

You’re knocked off guard, for you haven’t seen pictures of a furry man pouring water over a guy with his head bowed, a little bird fluttering overhead; you haven’t heard this baptism of Jesus story before. This Spirit of God is not like any other dove that you have ever seen. This is not like any other day. What is going on? 

Below you, people walk with their heads bowed, trudging in the dirt, tired by their humdrum existence. You want to caw out,  “Looooook, loooook, looook, looook! Come and soar with me! The Spirit of God is here!” The voice of the Lord is power. The voice of the Lord is splendor. You are roused with courage, feeling that you could keep flying even through the worst of thunderstorms. 

Who are these two men? One stays by the water. The other turns toward the desert, where he will remain for forty days. The dove disappears to lead the man to the desert, that power remains with the man who walks away. Who could this be? Wherever he goes,  you want to go. Wherever he stops, you want to stop. Life is richer in his presence. The air still vibrates. The splendor has not gone away. Something just feels fitting and right and abundant. What was crooked is now straight. All is good. All is warm. God is here! 

Consider/Discuss 

• How often do we take the story of the inbreaking of the Spirit at the baptism of the Lord for granted, as though we have seen it before?  How often do we take the inbreaking of the Spirit in our own lives for granted—a nice story, but not very real? 
• The next time you hear a seagull crying or a bird calling, look up. Look around. The Spirit of God is here. The God of Glory Thunders. The God of splendor whispers. Do we have ears to hear? 

Living and Praying with the Word 

O Jesus, give us a heart for you. Spirit of God, fill us to the max!  Help us to soar and to dance above the humdrum of life, to be  empowered anew. You have done something fresh. Break into our  lives as well. Thank you for your glory!