In the beginning.

Three powerful words that set the stage for understanding who the Holy Spirit is.

At the beginning of time and creation, He was there—hovering, moving, and preparing to bring order and beauty out of what was formless and empty. Genesis 1:2 tells us, “The Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters.”

I love this imagery of the Holy Spirit hovering. When I hear the word hover, I think of someone remaining close, present, attentive, and protective. The Hebrew word translated “hovering” is rāḥap̄. It can describe a gentle, watchful movement—like a bird fluttering over its young.

This is the Holy Spirit. He is present. He is powerful. He creates and gives life (Psalm 104:30). His work produces love, joy, peace, patience, and so much more in the lives of those who follow Jesus (Galatians 5:22–23).

The Holy Spirit is not an ordinary spirit. He is not an “it,” an impersonal force, or merely an emotional feeling. The Holy Spirit is God. In Genesis 1, He is appropriately called the “Spirit of God.” He possesses the fullness of God’s nature and works in perfect unity with the Father and the Son.

Today, imagine the Holy Spirit hovering over your life—present and attentive, desiring to bring order to your confusion, life to what feels empty, and light into your darkness. He wants to do a creative work in and through you that results in God’s glory, the good of others, and the deepening of your joy.

From the Old Testament to the New Testament, we see the Holy Spirit at work. He hovers over the waters in Genesis 1, descends upon Jesus at His baptism in Matthew 3, fills the disciples in Acts 2, and speaks to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3. And His work did not end with the conclusion of the Bible. He is still at work today, and He wants you to know Him in a deeper and more meaningful way.

My prayer is that you would acknowledge the Holy Spirit as the holy yet personal God He is—that you would know Him, speak to Him, listen for His leading, and obey God’s Word. The good news is that the Holy Spirit does not merely call us to follow God; He empowers us to do it.

So, as we begin these 21 days, let’s invite the Holy Spirit to have His way, lead us into truth, and take us deeper in our relationship with Jesus.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” — Luke 11:13