The Breath Of God

TITLE: THE BREATH OF GOD

SCRIPTURE: GENESIS 2:7

Today, I invite you to pause with me and consider something so ordinary, so constant, that we rarely notice it — our breath. Each of us takes about 20,000 breaths every single day, most without a thought. Our bodies are designed --

• To breathe

• To take in oxygen

• And release carbon dioxide, to sustain life

• And to strengthen us with every breath we take

But what if our breathing could remind us of something deeper? What if our breath could point us to the presence and power of God? Even our technology tries to remind us of this. Apple created a notification app for their watch called “Breathe.” It nudges users –

• To pause

• To be mindful

• To focus on what is important in the moment

• Sometimes, we need that reminder — not just to breathe physically, but to breathe spiritually

Let me ask you a question - when was the last time you lost your breath?

• Maybe you were swimming and realized you needed to come up for air

• Maybe you were running and had to stop to catch your breath

• Maybe you have Asthma and you know the panic of searching for your inhaler

• COPD – Allergies - or a health condition

• Maybe you took a blow to the midsection while playing in a sporting event

• Maybe you have been so overwhelmed by stress or grief that you felt you couldn’t catch your breath

• It can be quite scary to lose your breath!

I remember the rigorous training we went through in Basic Training, the Drill Sergeants pushed us those first few weeks to get us into military shape. I remember they pushed us on a particular day, and I suddenly felt my chest tighten – I couldn’t breath. I had to stop, gasping, feeling helpless. In that moment, I realized how much I took each breath for granted.

There are many things in life that can take our breath away —

• The limits of our strength

• Our wisdom

• Our ability to endure

• Or the suffocating weight of our fears and anxieties

There is an old saying whenever you encounter something that moves you deeply, like --

• Standing before a majestic mountain range

• Witnessing a stunning sunset

• Encountering a work of art that stirs our soul

• We respond that it’s “BREATHTAKING”

When we describe something as “Breathtaking,” we are acknowledging that its beauty or grandeur is so overwhelming that it literally interrupts our normal rhythm of breathing. It’s as if, for a moment, the ordinary act of inhaling and exhaling is paused by awe – wonder - astonishment.

But this reaction is more than just a figure of speech. It points to a profound truth about how beauty and wonder affect us physically and spiritually. When something is “Breathtaking,” it reminds us of our own vulnerability and the limits of our human experience. We are momentarily caught off guard, reminded that life is not just routine, but filled with moments that can surprise - inspire - humble us. These experiences invite us to pause - reflect - recognize that every breath we take is --

• A gift

• A sign of life

• A sign of hope

• A sign of God’s ongoing work in the world

So, the next time you find yourself breathless before something beautiful, consider it an invitation of gratitude and worship.

• Let that moment of awe remind you of the source of all beauty and life

• Allow it to draw you closer to the One who gives you every breath

What if you could not only catch your breath in life, but receive a second wind — a second breath? Let’s begin at the very beginning. In GENESIS 2:7, we read - “THE LORD GOD FORMED MAN FROM THE DUST OF THE GROUND, AND BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; AND THE MAN BECAME A LIVING SOUL.” God takes lifeless dust and shapes it into a human form. But it is not until God breathes into that form that life begins. The breath of God transforms dust into a living soul. Humanity is the crowning achievement of God’s creative work — created in God’s image and animated by God’s breath. PSALM 33:6 tells us, “BY THE WORD OF THE LORD THE HEAVENS WERE MADE, AND BY THE BREATH OF HIS MOUTH ALL THEIR HOST.”

• The Hebrew word for “Spirit” is “Ru’ahh”— breath or wind

• The very pronunciation echoes the sound of breath

• Everyone inhale -- “Ruuuuu…”

• And now exhale -- “Ahhhhhhh…”

• Every single breath is a gift of God

• If you are breathing, you are alive, and it’s because of God