Breathing Praise
“Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.”
“Breath” is a major theme in theology and scripture. In the creation stories of Genesis, God breathed into the first human’s nostrils the breath of life (Genesis 2:7). And at the end of John’s Gospel, the resurrected Jesus breathed on the disciples and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:22)
Breath. It is the constant rhythm that sustains each moment of our life. We usually don’t notice our breathing, as our bodies take care of it naturally, while our minds focus on other things. But it is good to give some thought to our breath – for each breath is a precious gift. This summer, I hope you find opportunities to focus on your breathing and offer yourself the gift of deep, full breaths; breathing in God’s peace; breathing out stress and tension; letting go of thoughts about the past and the future; allowing your breath to anchor your mind in the present moment; breathing.
The psalmist writes, “Let everything that breathes praise the Lord.” We breathe, and we praise the Lord with every breath, glorifying our Creator by our very existence.
