Ruach (Acts 2)

Okay, I’m not a major theologian but there is some thrilling stuff happening in today’s reading (Acts 2)…

Back in Genesis 2:7 God formed the body of a person out of dirt, but it was lifeless, like a mud mannequin, so He breathes into it to give it life. The word for God’s breath is the same word the Bible uses for wind. It’s the word “ruach.” (Later in the New Testament the same word (Spirit or wind) is translated “nooma.”) – Then in Ezekiel 37:1-10 there is this valley of dry bones, like a graveyard of skeletons, but God sends His ruach through that place and the bones come to life and become a massive army.

And in Acts 2:2 we find group of people who believe in Jesus but don’t have the power to do anything about it, and they’re praying that God will do something. So what does God do? He sends His ruach. The wind of His Spirit goes rushing through that place. And this group, who have only proven themselves confused cowards, becomes a great army for God throughout the rest of Acts (and their lives). – A few moments later a new group of people cry out to one of that group, “What do we do? What do we need from God?” And the answer is: “You need the ruach of God. And it will be given to you if you repent and be baptized.”

There’s an author named Pete Greig who has a saying, “U c bones, I c an army.” On Sunday night a group of about 12 of us sat in my living room. If you looked at the group you’d see bones, with some skin stretched around them. Nothing special. But it’s a group who has repented, and been baptized. A group who is following Jesus, even on an adventure that makes no sense. A group who spent half the meeting praying for each other. U c bones. I c an army.