tim@resuscitationblog.com

Yesterday, after I arrived at my home after work, I went to the back deck to relax a little before dinner. It was the kind of spring days I have grown to love here in the Pacific Northwest, with the coolest of breezes and the most fragrant scents in the air. Many of the fruit trees and ground covers are in bloom right now and they smell glorious! As I sat there watching our 2 Mini Australian Shepherds frolic with each other on the lawn and chase the occasional robin, I felt peace for the first time that whole day. The breeze, the fragrance and the playfulness of those silly dogs had transported me to another level emotionally. It felt like I was taking the first real breaths of the whole day. I now seemed filled with something fresh and sweet, not with the bitter taste of the routine and the disappointments of the day. All I needed was to breathe in a little of that fragrant breath of springtime.

As I reflect on yesterday, I realize that the same air I was breathing had likely been in my backyard the entire day. Long before I eased into my deckchair to savor it, that breeze had been carrying those glorious scents along with it all day. However, I wasn’t affected by it until I stepped outside and chose to take it in, allowing my lungs to be inflated by its life-giving properties. We talk from time to time about things that take our breath away. A glimpse of unspeakable beauty or the sound of magnificent singing can stop us in our tracks and leave us breathless. We have all experienced times when some unexpected appearance of someone or something leaves us gasping for air. The intensity of those events has a real physical effect upon us.

When I entered the door of my home yesterday, I was out of breath. It was not because of anything spectacular that had occurred. Rather, it was quite the opposite. The day before was Easter Sunday and we had celebrated the resurrection of Jesus Christ in church. Later in the day we had met together with friends and family for a feast of good food and good fellowship and good drink. I was full to the brim when I tucked myself into bed Sunday night. What an amazing day Easter had been for us! Then came Monday. “Monday, Monday, can’t trust that day.” That day held no celebratory singing and inspiring messages. The food of Monday was nothing more than stale leftovers and snarky remarks. The breath had been knocked out of me by disappointment and uncertainty, perhaps even cynicism. The fear of what might happen to our gatherings if the Covid-19 numbers continued to climb had caused breathlessness in me. And that breathlessness had a pervasive influence upon my entire psyche. I needed to breathe in something fresh and life-giving.

After the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, all 4 Gospel writers continue their narratives to include a few accounts of what happened next. While they all refer to the empty tomb, each one of them records something a little different than their counterparts. Matthew writes about the bribe and coverup of the leading priests, causing the soldiers to be complicit with them in their deceit. Mark mentions the bewilderment and disbelief of the male followers and the harsh words of Jesus in response to them. Luke walks us alongside Jesus and 2 incredulous disciples who are too slow to believe the prophecies from the Hebrew Scriptures concerning Jesus. It’s only after Jesus breaks bread with them that their eyes are opened to His identity. Then we have the storyline of the Apostle John.

In John 20, he records some details for us that boggle our minds. Herein are words that seem too incredible to embrace and actions almost to bizarre to fully grasp. We wonder, as the disciples likely wondered, what is happening here? Suddenly out of nowhere, Jesus appears and stands right there among them, dispensing peace to them. He had often spoke about peace and taught them about peace, however now he was giving them the gift of peace, offering it to them to replace their upheaval and turmoil. Not only were they receiving His peace, but also His life-giving breath. He breathes into them His Holy Spirit to bring life and healing to their brokenness and despair. “He breathed the breath of life into the man’s nostrils and the man became a living person.” (Genesis 2:7b) This is a specialty of the Divine …this breathing (literally, blowing inflating breaths) into the lifelessness of humankind. This is more than merely a breath of fresh air; this is truly the breath that creates and invigorates our lives.

^22 "Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.” (John 20:22-23)

Just as they are breathing this rarified air, Jesus makes a statement that nearly takes that breath right away! He states that they will be the purveyors of forgiveness and peacemaking to the world. As the disciples speak pardon and bestow forgiveness on others, freedom and peace will come to them. They have the attitude and the power of the Spirit to accomplish this great feat of releasing those who have been enslaved and held hostage by their own sin or the sins of others. One piece of the mission of Christ was to proclaim the release of the captives (Luke 4:18b). Now He was passing that baton to others to act in His place and demonstrate the Lord’s favor. Now we might wonder about the second installment that refers to the lack of forgiveness. I believe Jesus is speaking to the seriousness of this initial responsibility and reiterating its necessity . His followers must dispense forgiveness in massive doses. To behave in any way contrary to that work of the Holy Spirit would be unthinkable. We are not here to aid and abet in the ongoing enslavement of the sinful. Rather we are responsible to seek the release of all through that most powerful of behaviors…forgiveness! We must continually speak forgiveness into this broken world.

Many religious people are sadly gasping for fresh air these days. They are inhaling the toxic smog of bitterness, hatefulness and vengeance toward those whom they consider to be the worst offenders of their selective code of behavior. Their attitudes and actions are sucking the air out of many rooms once considered to be sacred. There is nothing life-giving in those places anymore because the instructions from the Source of life are being ignored and amended. There is unforgiveness being manifested in those places and brokenness prevails as a result. What is needed is some fresh air…Divine air! Air that is fragrant and sweet that causes one to crave another and another and another whiff of it. Breath in this breath that gives life!

Tim@resuscitationblog.com