Ordinary Time 
Pause
The greatest mystery of our faith is the identity, work, and purpose of the Holy Spirit.
As elusive as the wind, the Spirit evades our capture yet manages to touch, nudge, comfort, or trip us just the same.
Rather than attempting to capture, predict, or define the Spirit, why not simply affirm that the Spirit is and open your heart, inviting God's mysterious Spirit to take up residence in you.
Listen
Lord, you have done so many things! You made them all so wisely! The earth is full of your creations! And then there’s the sea, wide and deep, with its countless creatures— living things both small and large. There go the ships on it, and Leviathan, which you made, plays in it! All your creations wait for you to give them their food on time. When you give it to them, they gather it up; when you open your hand, they are filled completely full! But when you hide your face, they are terrified; when you take away their breath, they die and return to dust. When you let loose your breath, they are created, and you make the surface of the ground brand-new again.
Psalm 104:24-30
Think
When I was a boy, my father and I often went fishing on bright Saturday mornings on the Tennessee River. The water was dark, opaque even. Nothing living could be seen beneath the surface. Our little bass boat danced erratically over the roiling waters that surged unpredictably from beneath the dam. We trolled along in the chaotic current, pulling our lures behind us.
Suddenly, a harsh tug on the line would grab our attention! Was it just a stump or did we “have one?” Sure enough, out of the turbulent darkness, a silver splash would grab our attention. With grinning delight, I’d yell, “Daddy, we got one!”
Like those silt-darkened waters lurching us to and fro, life can be opaque and unpredictable; there’s no way to know what the next day holds. Still, just beneath the surface of what can be seen, the Spirit is at work, creating and sustaining the providence you need. Like a jubilant boy thrilled with his catch, I know the Spirit beams when surprising us with an unexpected blessing. And when we pause to thank God, the Holy Spirit surely grins and whispers, “I got one!”
Wade Griffith
Pray
God, help me to put my faith in what is unseen, what is eternal. Each day remind me that my eyes will never tell me the full truth of your presence and activity in my life. Only the heart can see that truth! Amen.
Go
Today, don't forget that God's Spirit is with you and for you! Receive this gift. Just ask, and off you'll go, arm in arm!
Who knows what adventures, tasks, or opportunities the Spirit might have in store for you today? Let the future begin!
