Holy Breathing; Learning to Breathe

(Today is a special lady's birthday.  She went to be with the Lord almost a year from now, I believe last March.  During this time I was in Tulsa, Ok. taking care of my sick mother for three weeks.  I was so praying for my mom, my tired self, and then for Lynne and her family and friends back home after I heard the news.  I woke up one night at my mothers, and wrote this story. . .)

I guess I’ve been thinking a lot about breathing lately.  I have been taking care of my mother for the last three weeks and have been watching her breathe into a plastic device to strengthen her lungs.

Last week, a sweet lady from my church passed away.  That night I prayed, asking the Lord to breathe on this family His comfort, to breathe strength into them to pass through the grieving process, to breathe the wonderful memories of her over her husband, sons, and friends that would make them smile.  I found myself afterwards humming an old hymn titled, Breathe on Me.  I thought how this dear lady had taken her last earthly breath but was more alive than ever in her eternal home with her Savior face to face.

In Genesis, we read where God breathed into the nostrils of Adam and gave him physical life.  Years later, God’s Son, Jesus, gave His life on the cross.  When He breathed His last breath on that cross, He was giving us a chance to have eternal life with Him and His Father.

The giver of life who breathed into Adam has also breathed into me…breathed boldness and courage into a very timid and shy girl…breathed comfort into a hurting and grieving girl and later into this middle aged woman.  He breathed onto me compassion when it was needed.  He breathed His words into me when I needed them.  With His breath I have heard His voice.

When my mom uses her breathing device, she actually has to inhale, then lets the air out.  When she inhales, the little blue ball rises.  What are we inhaling?  I have been known to inhale the air of discouragement, confusion, doubt and fear.  When I do this, I am not fully trusting in my Savior.  This kind of breathing can raise our blood pressure, give us headaches, raise our risk of heart attacks, and can choke the life right out of us.

As I grow older, hopefully more mature, I am learning to pray as the song goes…”Breathe on me, breath on me Holy Spirit, breath on me.  Take my heart, cleanse every part, breathe on me.”  When I let my will be lost in Him; to live for Him alone, then I breathe a deep sigh of relief, trusting all things to Him trusting in Him alone.

When we breathe in the fragrance of the Lord, our spirits are raised, our hearts grow more for others, our frowns turn upside down.  When my mom lets the air out, the little blue ball drops.  When we breathe in and out the fragrance of the Lord and let Him breathe on us, the weight of doubt, fear, discontentment, anger, etc. drops.  When He and we are breathing together, it’s like Him taking the weight of the world off our shoulder and we can breathe a sigh of relief.

Another old hymn came to mind, “Breathe on Me, Breath of God.”  The last verse goes…”Breathe, breath of God, so shall I never die.  But live with Thee the perfect life of Thine eternally.”  The sweet lady from my church is now living the perfect life with her Heavenly Father.  I could let myself be envious, but I won’t. My time will come when the Father says.  And living on the Earth with the Father breathing on me is an awesome way to live down here.  So I wait patiently in this earthly home of mine continuing to breathe my Lord in, continuing to have Hi breathe His holy breath on me until all this earthly part of me “glows with Thy fire divine.”

My sweet mother has recently gone through two surgeries, dealing wit a 5” incision the doctor did not close up (this has been an ordeal in of itself), complications from the surgeries, pneumonia, ten hours in the ER, and a third hospital admission.  Tiredness sets in for both of us, but God continues to breathe on us, refreshing me and giving her strength to continue on being her sweet self, smiling her sweet smile, and still having the strength to give me orders to go home and rest!

From what I have read about the lady from my church, she must have learned how to breathe and how to allow the Lord to breathe on her.  And from other writings I have seen on the computer, the people around her and her family in that last week also had the Holy breath on them.

In this world of bad news and scary stories, is it not a breather of fresh air to feel the holy breath of God, knowing He is right by our side to walk us through whatever life brings?  Come on, breathe deeply and feel the holy breath of God on you.  Makes you smile, doesn’t it? 

Dear Lynne,

You and I were JUST getting to know each other when I had to leave for Oklahoma.  Then you left for your heavenly home.  Some day I will be there and maybe we can sit by a pond, or on a porch and start back up with each other.  That is, if I can get in line of all the people that will want to be doing the same thing  :)  Happy Birthday!