Give Me More of Your Spirit
As you know I keep reading and rereading the Bible over and over again. I change translations and start anew. Every time the reading experience is a bit different, it really is the Living Word. I read God and God reads me. It’s our time together. Oftentimes a verse or a passage stays with me for the day or more. This time a verse has stayed with me since last week. I’ve read the verse many times before and I have always liked it but this time it has become my personal prayer: ‘I want this too, Lord. Give me more of your Spirit, Lord.’
The spirit of the Lord shall rest on him,
the spirit of wisdom and understanding,
the spirit of counsel and might,
the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord.
(Isaiah 11:2, NRSV,*)
Christians see this verse talking about Jesus being the stump of Jesse and how the spirit of the Lord rests on him in mighty ways. I’ve always admired Jesus and praised God for providing us such a savior full of wisdom, counsel, and understanding. But this time I was envious. I wanted what Jesus had.
Give me more of your Spirit
Do you know what we are to do when we are envious? We are to bring that thing to God and ask God to give us that too or otherwise take care of this new need we encountered. And this time I clearly wanted more of the Spirit of the Lord. So I asked God ‘Give me more of your Spirit, too, Lord!’
Throughout this week I’ve been whispering this prayer over and over again. The Holy Spirit has shown me how important it is to yearn for more of God and his spirit. God’s spirit is meant to be shared with us but somehow we don’t ask for more. We settle with less even though that’s not God’s will for us. God wants us to be filled to the brim with his Spirit.
Hence I want God’s spirit to rest on me every day of my life. And not just casually but in a special way. I want the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, and I want the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. Truly, I want it all. Yes, I want to be all in and I want all that God has for me. So I cry ‘Give me more of Your Spirit, Lord’. What about you, my friend? Do you want more of God’s Spirit, too?
Let us pray
Gracious God,
Forgive us for not being more interested in receiving all that you have for us.
We surrender to you, Lord.
May your will happen in and through our lives.
Give us more of Your Spirit, Lord!
Rest on us, give us your wisdom and counsel.
Give us reverent awe and
let us feel your holy presence in our lives.
Be forever praised, Lord.
We adore you.
In Jesus’ name,
Amen
Q4U: How about you? Do you want more of God’s Spirit?
Be blessed, my fellow pilgrim, as you embrace all that God has for you! Let’s pray “Give me more of your Spirit” every day before Pentecost! May God send his Spirit in a mighty way!
