The Breath Of Life

The pain became so intense that it consumed all my thoughts. Then in the haze I heard the nurse say, “Breathe, you must breathe, your baby needs the oxygen.” Obediently I took a deep cleansing breath and it was time to push. Moments latter I heard the breath of life sounding in my newborn infant's cry.

I have been tracing this breath of life throughout the Scriptures. The first place it is mentioned is in the story of creation. “Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature.” (Genesis 2:7) This idea of the breath of life is repeated in Job 33:4, “The Spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” The Hebrew word for breath is ruah. Ruah can be translated as breath, air, wind, spirit.

I am a very visual person and one of the most dramatic pictures I can think of in connection with the breath of God is in the valley of dry bones found in Ezekiel 37. The hand of God was upon Ezekiel and the Spirit of the Lord took him to a valley filled with very dry bones. God told him to prophesy to the bones and when he did the bones came together but they had no breath. Finally, God said “Prophesy to the breath; prophesy, son of man, and say to the breath, Thus says the Lord God: come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe on these slain, that they may live.” So, by the breath of God those who were dead became alive.

I see this picture of the breath of God in the New Testament as well. Jesus said in the third chapter of John, “That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you 'You must be born again.' The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear it's sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” The Greek word pneuma means, a current of air, breath, or breeze, by analogy it means a spirit. Jesus shows this again at the end of his time with his disciples when he says,”Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, even so I am sending you.” and when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,”Receive the Holy Spirit.”

Oh Lord, with every breathe I take today remind me that you are the air I breath. Twice born I come to You. Breath of Heaven fill me with you holy presents today. As I breathe in may I inhale the deep cleansing breath of Your presence and may I exhale praise. “Let everything that has breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!” (Psalm 150:6)

Transformation From Larvae To Dragon Fly?

As I was walking along the creek bank I noticed a cocoon. It had no external beauty but I knew it held life . I watched as the life within struggled to emerge. It would have been an easy thing for me to simply tear open the cocoon and let it's prisoner free but in doing so I would have also caused it's death so instead I watched the struggle for life. Finally, a dragonfly emerged but what a odd looking creature with it's fat body and tiny wings. The struggle was not over but the struggle was not in vain. The wings became transparent,beautiful and detailed in their design. As the wings increased in strength and beauty the body changed into an elegant slender shape. Suddenly the crusade for freedom was over the dragon fly took flight and was gone.

I have been meditating on, memorizing, and puzzling over Romans six. What does it mean that I have been baptized into Christ Jesus' death? How can I walk in newness of life? What does it look like to be united with him in a resurrection like his? When I was a little girl I would hear fairy tales and there would be the wave of a magic wand or the sprinkle of fairy dust and poof a pumpkin was transformed into a carriage. God calls us to walk in newness of life but there is no fairy dust or magic wand.

So is my next option to follow a strict list of ,”Do this”and “Don't do that?” In my imagination I can see an ugly larvae deciding that it's time for him to morph into an elegant dragon fly. What rules does he have to follow to make this happen? Does metamorphosis occur because of the strong determination of a larvae? I think not. Nor do I believe that our transformation into the likeness of the risen Christ is because we have followed a list of rules and regulations.

No magic fairy dust , no strict adherence to the law what then will bring about identification with the risen Christ? I find in Romans six that I am to consider myself as dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Because of this I am to present my members to God as instruments for righteousness and not to let sin reign in my mortal body and obey it's passions . The struggle that I have is a struggle to surrender and to obey the Spirit of the Living God. This wrestling to no longer obey the passions of my flesh but instead to become slave of God becomes my act of worship. I feel this struggle will never end but I know by faith that the end result is strength and beauty and a transformed life.

Lord Jesus, You came that I might have abundant life. By faith I take hold the grace You

offer to surrender my will to and to be transformed into your likeness. Your word says that strength and beauty are in your sanctuary. Please, Lord Jesus, may You find both strength and beauty within the sanctuary of my heart.  

Winter's Garden

If I were to show you my garden right now what you would see would be a collection of dry brittle sticks. In the Spring, Summer and even in the Fall there is color and life. There is still life but you can't see it, it looks barren and dead. God created every season for a purpose. The Winter season in life is a time to live by faith. It is an opportunity to experience hope. In the Winter many people who have gardens sit by the fireplace on cold dark nights and look at seed catalogs and plan for the flowers of Spring.

God allows Winter seasons to come into my life as well. When I was younger I viewed this very differently than I do today. When all I could see was a season that felt cold and lifeless I would let the chill penetrate my being. However, through the years I experienced again and again the truth that everything God has created is beautiful in it's own way.

In the Winter times of my life I find that like the plants whose roots are seeking nourishment deep within the soil so my soul is seeking nourishment from God. The beauty of this season is not often found in gay colors and music like it is in the other seasons. The beauty of Winter is in it's call to quiet contemplation. In the Winter season of my soul I look at the promises of God and warm my spirit by His fire. I look no longer at what I can see with earthly vision but open instead my eyes of faith to see His word fulfilled.

When the days are short and the cold it drives me inward I find myself opening the books of the Prophets. Yesterday I look at Ezekiel 36, the final siege had taken place. Jerusalem once a city of great rejoicing had become barren and desolate. All her inhabitants were taken captive. What messaged did God have for His people in this Winter of their soul? It was not a message of despair but a message of hope. “I will take you from the nations, gather you from all the lands and bring you into your own land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean; I will cleanse you from all you filthiness and from all your idols. Moreover, I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. I will put my Spirit within you...”

Heavenly Father, in this Winter season when I cannot see beyond the barrenness help me look at life with eyes of faith. Thank You for the promises that I see in Ezekiel. You are the one who brings the cleansing, You are the one who gives a new heart. You are the one who has put Your Spirit within me. You are the gardener of my soul.

I Washed Her Feet

She asked if she could talk to me. Then with her eyes downcast she told me about her struggles. As I listened a thought came to my mind, “You should wash her feet.” Because it was such an unusual idea I decided to pray about, the idea wouldn't go away. Not much was said afterward and I had no idea how what I had done impacted her life until after her death when I found her journal.

June 28

Amazing things happened to me today. This afternoon Sarah and I sat in the swing talking and sharing and I shared, risking our friendship. I wanted to share these things with someone other than a therapist. Was there someone I could share my heart with who I wasn't paying who wouldn’t reject me? Sarah listened, comforted, and shared some things of her own. I cried and then we went on with our activity. Later she said there was something she wanted to do after everyone went to bed.

After supper I asked her what it was she said, ”In response to what you told me, I'm going to wash your feet.” I was flabbergasted, totally, and then so touched by her that I began to cry. It was an act of love I have never experienced before and I was totally humbled by the experience. There on her knees my dear sweet friend, washed my feet. It was an experience I will never forget. It reached in and crumbled a wall of distrust I never expected to end in this life. I went to bed in tears and awed by such an act. But God blessed it because I saw a person loving me, honoring me, caring as no one ever had. It softened my resistance and broke my heart towards God. I went to bed praying , praising and thanking God.

I didn't know the impact my washing her feet would have on my friend's life but God did. I didn't know that when she talking to me in her heart she had been questioning if anyone would accept her if they really knew her but God did. I didn't know that when I chose to prayerfully do something that might make me look foolish would help set her free but God did.

Lord Jesus thank You for leading me by Your example. Lord, You are the only one who fully knows me and You have chosen to accept me. Help me to represent You well in a world full of hurting people by humble acts of kindness.

wRESTling

I remember when we got our first television. Looking back I can see how it affected my view of life. Some of my favorite shows were family sitcoms. Every problem worked it's self out within thirty minutes and at the end of the show everyone was smiling. As a child I thought my life would reflect this “reality.” Boy was I in for a surprise!

I have just finished reading about the life of Jacob in Genesis, here I get a very different picture of family life than the one portrayed in the sitcoms. From the beginning, before he was even born, Jacob is wrestling with his brother Esau. He was given the name Jacob because he was grasping his brother's heel when he came out of the womb. All through Jacob's life I see this wrestling, a striving to gain control of situations and people.

Today I read the last chapter of Jacob's life. Hebrews 11:21 says”...he worshiped while resting on his staff.” I think this is significant because Jacob's life is so marked by the different wrestling matches he had. However, the most significant one was when he spent the night wrestling with God. He was told that Esau, from whom he had taken both the birthright and their father's blessing by deceit, was on his way to meet him with four hundred men. With this threat on the horizon Jacob encounters a man with whom he wrestles until the breaking of the day. Finally, the man touches Jacob's hip socket and puts it out of joint. Still Jacob hold on and says,”I will not let you go until you bless me.”

For the rest of his life Jacob walked with a limp. The blessing he received that night was this, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel, for you have striven with God and with men, and have prevailed.” (Genesis 32:22-32) The picture of Jacob resting on his staff and worshiping God seems very symbolic to me. At the end of Jacobs life he no longer has the strength to make things happen his way he has something far better, he has faith. As he blesses his sons he is sure of what he hopes for and confident about what he doesn't see. He is no longer wrestling but instead is resting in the promises of God.

Heavenly Father, I realize that life is hard and life's struggles can seldom be solved in thirty minutes with everyone smiling. Thank You for the life of Jacob. Thank You for showing me what it means to wrestle with You until I find rest in You. Help me face every difficulty being sure of what I hope for and confident about what I don't see. Let my life be a life of worship.

The Wrong Time?

The phone rang. It was my daughter calling, “Mom, can you tell me what time it is?” This was a strange question for her to ask because she is in a different time zone from me. When I told her the time she told me why she had asked. The time on her phone was an hour early. She had gotten to her classes before the doors were unlocked.

This began our discussion about the Sovereignty of God. I suggested that if she really believed that God was Sovereign that in stead of being angry and frustrated perhaps she could pray and ask God why He wanted her at school an hour early. I told her how we all thought we trusted God until what we planed or expected was altered. When our plans change without our permission how we respond shows whether we really trust a Sovereign God or not.

I also shared with her that one way we learn to trust God is when He leads us into situations where we have no control. We learn to trust when we humble ourselves and submit to His Lordship. I don't think it's a natural thing to trust God. I think we trust more in the clock on our cell phone than we trust in the Sovereignty of God but we don't know that until the clock gives us the wrong time.

My daughter called me later that morning. I could hear the excitement in her voice. She had been introduced to a man and a concept that could be life changing to her. I asked her if she thought that was why she had gotten to school an hour early. I was surprised by her response. She told me,”No”. She thought she had gotten there early so that she could be reminded of God's Sovereignty.

Lord Jesus, You and You alone are the Sovereign Lord. With You there are no accidents. Thank You for teaching how to trust You. Thank You for inviting me to find rest for my soul by trusting in Your Sovereignty.

It's Possible

Do somethings seem impossible to you? They do to me. If I can't figure out a solution to a situation then it's hard for me to believe there is one. If the problem is has gone on for a long time the hope of resolving it becomes dimmer. If I have tried solving the problem to no avail I just want to give up.

I hate to admit it but sometimes it's people I want to give up on. That's why I love the story of Jesus healing the demon-possessed man in the country of the Gerasenes. Talk about an impossible situation! I can't even imagine what it was like to live where there was a demon possessed man who lived among the tombs and was crying out night and day bruising himself with stones.

The people around him tried to deal with the problem. They bound him with chains and shackles but he wrenched the chains apart, and he broke the shackles in pieces. No one had the strength to subdue him. It would be very hard to ignore something like this happening in your neighborhood. I think at this point I would be having a conversation with a real estate person.

Jesus is introduced to the scene. When this man saw Jesus from afar, he ran and fell down before him. Does that sound like worship, to fall at the feet of Jesus? He then cried out with a loud voice and said,”What have you to do with me, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I adjure you by God, do not torment me.”Mark 5:1-20 Jesus sent the Legion of demon's out of the man. When the people who'd been living with this man heard what Jesus did they came to see what happened. What they found was the man who had been tormenting them and had himself been tormented by a legion of demons sitting there, clothed and in his right mind. The Bible says that it made the people afraid and they begged Jesus to leave. It seems to me they should of been afraid of the man had been like and grateful to Jesus for changing him.

Lord Jesus, sometimes when I am faced with situations that seem impossible I loose sight of You. I forget that with You all things are possible. I am humbled by the picture of this demon-possessed man bowing before you because he recognizes Your power and I do not. Help me remember that though there are things that are impossible for me there is nothing impossible for You.