Have you ever looked up how many times a word occurs in the Bible? I have. The past month God has been sending me on treasure hunts through His word to better understand what different words mean in His context.
Last month I looked up breath and breathe. It took days to discover all the ways they are used in scripture. By the end of the exploration I was changed.
I’m going to share a few passages then explain why they all made such an impact on me. I am using the VOICE translation. Please, look up the verses in your favorite translation.
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Genesis 2:7
One day the Eternal God scooped dirt out of the ground, sculpted it into the shape we call human, breathed the breath that gives life into the nostrils of the human, and the human became a living soul.
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Psalm 33:6
The unfathomable cosmos came into being at the word of the Eternal’s imagination, a solitary voice in the endless darkness.
The breath of His mouth whispered the sea of stars into existence.
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Exodus 15:10
Moses and the Israelites: But You blew Your breath-wind, and the sea covered them;
they sank like lead down into the mighty waters.
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Job 32:8
Elihu: But alas, it turns out it is the spirit in a man, not age,
and the breath of the Highest One within him that lends understanding.
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Ezekiel 37:1-14
The Eternal had a hold on me, and I couldn’t escape it. The divine wind of the Eternal One picked me up and set me down in the middle of the valley, but this time it was full of bones. God led me through the bones. There were piles of bones everywhere in the valley–dry bones left unburied.
Eternal One (to Ezekiel): Son of man, do you think these bones can live?
Ezekiel: Eternal Lord, certainly You know the answer better than I do.
Eternal One: Actually, I do. Prophesy to these bones. Tell them to listen to what the Eternal Lord says to them: “Dry bones, I will breathe breath into you, and you will come alive. I will attach muscles and tendons to you, cause flesh to grow over them, and cover you with skin. I will breathe breath into you, and you will come alive. After this happens, you will know that I am the Eternal.”
So I did what God told me to do: I prophesied to the bones. As I was speaking, I heard a loud noise–a rattling sound–and all the bones began to come together and form complete skeletons. I watched and saw muscles and tendons attach to the bones, flesh grow over them, and skin wrap itself around the reforming bodies. But there was still no breath in them.
Eternal One: Prophesy to the breath. Speak, son of man, and tell them what the Eternal Lord has to say: “O sweet breath, come from the four winds and breathe into these who have been killed. Make these corpses come alive.”
So I did what God told me to do: I prophesied to the breath. As I was speaking, breath invaded the lifeless. The bodies came alive and stood on their feet. I realized I was looking at a great army.
Eternal One: Son of man, these bones are the entire community of Israel. They keep saying, “Our bones are dry now, picked clean by scavengers. All hope is gone. Our nation is lost.”
He told me to prophesy and tell them what He said.
Eternal One: Pay attention, My people! I am going to open your graves and bring you back to life! I will carry you straight back to the land of Israel. Then you will know that I am the Eternal One. I will breathe My Spirit into you, and you will be alive once again. I will place you back in your own land. After that you will know I, the Eternal, have done what I said I would do.
So said the Eternal One.
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John 20:22
Now He drew close enough to each of them that they could feel His breath. He breathed on them:
Jesus: Welcome the Holy Spirit of the living God.
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So what does God’s breath do? It creates both people and stars, provides swift judgement and protection, lends understanding and wisdom, restores life and declares glory, and delivers the Holy Spirit.
WOW!
As I read all of this, and the rest of the instances of breathe in the Bible, I found myself thinking I wish my breath did that. Then I stopped a minute and thought about what my breath is.
It’s the breath of God that fills my lungs on every inhale. It’s the breath of God that I share with the world on every exhale. It’s the very life-giving breath of God that sustains me.
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Story Time!
In Ecuador one Friday & Saturday my team and I accompanied our ministry hosts to a town called Riobamba. We were going to help with the service while our hosts visited to see if they wanted to combine forces with the church there.
Before we left I had the beginnings of a cold. (When 38 people share 1 house it’s bound to happen.) Throughout our trip it just got worse. By Saturday morning I was having a hard time catching my breath.
Walking from the hotel room to the van with baggage caused an intense coughing fit that scared me. It felt like I couldn’t breathe. I didn’t know how to fix this situation.
When I got to the van I sat on the dividing wall around the parking lot. I felt like I didn’t have enough oxygen to keep going. My ministry host Andrea, who is an amazing doctor, started asking questions and figuring out what was going on. She wondered if I had asthma.
Sitting still calmed my lungs enough to get in the van and go on to church. On the ride to church I was coughing up a storm and felt horrible. During this my other host Fabian, who is also a doctor, asked his wife in Spanish, “Does she have asthma?” Andrea then translated for me and looked worried.
When we arrived at church I was feeling pretty weak from all of this breathing trouble and coughing. As soon as I got out of the van, I felt intense spiritual oppression. Many times this manifests physically for me, usually by limiting my breathing. Oh joy.
Andrea, my teammate Danielle, and myself all felt similar things and set about praying for the church, the people, and the service. I felt some release during prayer even though I couldn’t breathe well enough to speak my prayers aloud.
After we prayed it was time for service. As I was ushered to my seat the oppression came back with a vengeance. When I sat down, I could not confidently say that I would survive the next few minutes the way my lungs were working.
I was scared. I asked God what to do. He told me to declare truth. Then the perfect song came to mind.
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All Sons and Daughters has a song called “Great Are You Lord”. The chorus says this:
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
We pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise
To You only
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I started singing this chorus over and over as I sat in that spiritually dark place and I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t actually sing it aloud but my very soul declared the truth of those words.
After a few times through the chorus I noticed that I wasn’t fighting for each breath. I was resting with Jesus and letting Him breathe for me. I knew I would have enough breath because God was supplying each one and His presence never runs out.
Now, before everyone starts in on this was just an asthma attack that ran it’s course, blah, blah, blah, Hear Me! I might have asthma. I don’t really know. But whether I do or not, God showed up that day in a big way. He taught me crazy dependence and worship. He showed me what breath meant and set a hunger in me to know it better and deeper.
I coughed and sputtered all through church, the whole 4 hours home, and for the next few days. My teammate Julia, who is a respiratory therapist, bought me a rescue inhaler the next day and it helped greatly. On Monday I was in Andrea’s office to get all the drugs to help kill whatever sickness I had.
Every time I couldn’t catch my breath over the next few days and weeks I repeated the same truth to myself. It’s God’s breath in my lungs. He has made me with the ability and capacity to breathe Him in. I will choose to do it.
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So what’s the point? Why did I have you read all those scriptures and tell you this story?
For what I learned through this whole experience: every breath I take is an act of worship and a declaration of who my God is.
Every time I breathe in I take who God is; I soak up more of His very life-giving essence. Every time I breathe out I share Him with the world.
Each breath declares that I am simply dry bones and dirt without Him and He has created and restored my life. Each breath is an opportunity to dig deep and understand more of Jesus. Each breath is a chance to be filled with the Holy Spirit.
I’m still learning how to rely on Him for each breath. I’m still seeking out what stewarding every breath well looks like. I’m still on a journey of learning to use each breath to be filled with Him then overflow into the world.
This I know: I was made for more than simply transferring oxygen and carbon dioxide. I was made for more than fighting for every breath. I was made to be a vessel of worship, declaration, and His Spirit. I was made to breathe.
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What are you doing with your breath?
Are you using it for worship? Are you using it to build up your brothers and sisters? Are you using it to grow His kingdom?
Are you wasting the precious gift of God because you have been given so many? I used to.
I pray you find a new deeper level of thankfulness where each breath reminds you of Whose you are and what He has called you to.
Breathe, my beloved, breathe.
