Just Breathe – Exhale

Praise the Lord for video calling! The other day our daughter called us from Colorado and turned her phone to our grandson who has figured out how to make some new sounds other than crying for food or to be held. Both of our hearts melted wanting to jump through the screen and give him a big hug. Crazy what a few babbles will do to grandparents hearts.

As I was pondering the joys of hearing my grandson from across the Atlantic Ocean I thought about the Father’s joy when we exhale our voices to Him in prayer. Like a baby at times it may be an unintelligent babble, grunts or groans (Romans 8:26), but He is thrilled by the fact that we acknowledge our need for Him through prayer.

One of the greatest signs that we believe in God is taking time to talk with Him as a Father and as a friend. If you look at all the heroes of faith; Abraham and Sarah, Moses, David, the prophets, and the apostles all had an intimate relationship with the Father. Jesus, is the greatest example, as He would often slip away to commune with His Abba in prayer as this was the source of His existence (Mark 1:35).

Last week I shared about the importance of spiritual breathing and how we must first inhale the Word of God. On a daily basis we need to tune into the Father’s voice through a meditative reading of His life giving breath, found in 66 inspired books of the Bible.

However we are not only called to inhale the Word, but also exhale the promises from the Father back to Him. If we just inhale without the exhaling we will spiritually die. Spiritually breathing keeps the heart healthy and alive. A constant rhythm of both is necessary.

In last week’s blog I shared how at the start of my day I inhale a Psalm. To slowly breathe in the Scripture until I hear the voice of the Spirit speak to me through it. As I hear Father’s voice in His Word, I respond by taking out my journal and write a prayer back to Him. Sometimes it leads me to spend most of my time in prayer and thanksgiving. At other times the conviction of sin is heavy and I write out my sins before Him asking for the blood of Jesus to forgive me and create in me a clean heart.

There is something powerful about praying the promise of the Father’s Word back to Him or even singing them. My parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and great-greats used to sing the Psalms every Sunday at church and even in their homes. The older I get I see the amazing benefits of how that helped them spiritually breathe and made them strong in the midst of trying days.

As our days grow more challenging we are called to be a family of believers that thrive by spiritually breathing in and out the Word of God. If God’s children “Just Breath” deeply inhaling and exhaling, we will reflect the glorious breath of God that can bring abundant life to a suffocating world.

This Sunday we witnessed the Word of God in power and many inhaled it touching the deepest hurts in their heart. Many responded by coming forward breathing out childlike prayers, many with groans and tears and their Father in heaven rejoiced by sending the life-breath of His Spirit bringing healing and joy!

Remember, Just Breathe!!!

 

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