ELDER BLESSING

By: Jason Cooney

Same Spirit

Holy Spirit, you’ve been with us all along.

You hovered over the waters in the beginning, witness to the glorious work of the Father and Son in creation.

From the lips of Isaiah, the Father promised You to us, that you would never depart from us.

With Ezekiel’s voice, the Father proclaimed he would put You in us, replacing hearts prone to wander with ones prone to obedience.

From Joel’s mouth, the Father promised to pour You out on us, that our sons and daughters would prophesy, our old men dream dreams, and young men see visions.

It was you who allowed Mary to conceive our Lord.

You, Spirit, descended on Christ at his baptism, and then drove him into the wilderness, preparing Him for victory over the enemy’s temptations.

Spirit, you were with Jesus as He made lame beggars walk, blind men see, and dead men rise.

Wasn’t it You that made the lifeless body of our savior breathe again?

Then Jesus breathed You upon his disciples.

At Pentecost, You gave those same disciples words in languages they didn’t speak, to announce truths all people needed to hear.

Jesus said You would teach us all things, reminding us of the words of Christ.

You help us in our weakness, interceding for us with utterings too deep for words.

In Your presence there is freedom.

Your fruit is love, peace, kindness, and faithfulness.

You are building us into a dwelling place for God.

This Spirit dwells in you!

May He have His way with us.

May he have His way. All God’s people said... Amen.