Take a moment to read Acts 19:1-22 before reading the devotional below.
Today’s passage is full of, “Umm… what??” moments. We begin with Paul making his way down to Ephesus, where they’ve got the Jesus thing down but haven’t heard of the Holy Spirit. This seems strange. Why didn’t the Holy Spirit come upon them on his own? Why did Paul need to explain the Holy Spirit for these believers to receive him? After Paul explains the concept of receiving the Holy Spirit, he lays his hands on them and they receive the Holy Spirit too. So for no clear reason, Paul had to pass on the Holy Spirit to the believers in Ephesus.
Reading on, we learn that Paul was healing people simply with the touch of a handkerchief. Umm… what?? The Bible does call this “unusual,” so we should not expect all of our tissues to turn into vessels of healing power. Okay, fair enough. But then we come upon a strange scene in which some Jews were trying to use the name of Jesus like a magic trick and they get pummeled by demons. Umm… what??
Too often, we approach the Bible or spiritual matters using scientific or intellectual methods. Something can only be true if we are able to “prove it” or create some kind of formula that can be replicated. The Holy Spirit cannot be measured and he will not be boiled down to a magical formula. Mystery and things unexplained are a critical part of the journey into searching the depths of God. Accept that it is okay not to know.