Accomplishment 6

Acts 1:8

Part of the Emmaus Walk experience is having people who pray for the participants. As one of the participants, or pilgrims, it is a comfort to know that there are those who are supporting you in your spiritual journey, even if they are people you do not know and who do not know you.

It may be an unseen force, but it is a real force. The prayers of others help the pilgrim on the journey.

As Jesus was about to depart from this earth he gave some encouragement to his disciples. How will they receive power? What will this enable them to do?

Many scholars claim that the arrival of the Holy Spirit that Jesus foretold in this passage was the first time the Holy Spirit had come to earth and worked through humanity to accomplish God’s work. After this initial arrival, once the Holy Spirit had been given by Jesus this first time, then the Holy Spirit has been present ever since, working here and there to bless and direct the children of God.

Such a belief can be debated as to its accuracy, but what we must see is the fact that Jesus did not leave the disciples on their own. Although Jesus had to leave in his own person, he sent the Spirit of God to be present with them so they might have the strength, wisdom and power to share the love of God in the world.

The same is true for us. The Holy Spirit is that unseen force that gives us the drive and ability to share love. It may be invisible but it is very real and we must be aware that God is with us in all things when we work to share Him with others.

Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to be with us in the work we do for the kingdom of God. With the presence of the Spirit in our hearts and in our souls we receive God’s own power and authority to share His love on earth.

Like the disciples, when we have the Holy Spirit as part of who we are we will have the ability and authority to witness to the grace and glory of God in all the world.

DAILY CHALLENGE: What can you do to be a witness to the ends of the earth?