breathe

Saturday, April 5, 2014 (6:46 a.m.)

Awesome God,

Thank You! I got to sleep. Think. Wake up. Even these three things I far too often take for granted. Thank You for once again making me aware of all the gifts and opportunities You provide.

I get to breathe. On my own. Automatically. Without thinking. Not everyone has this privilege. Again I thank You.

Yes. I get to breathe because You first breathed Your breath into Adam (Genesis 2:7). After having risen from the dead Jesus breathed on His disciples telling them, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (John 20:22).

Where do I go from here Blessed Father? Over to Psalm 119:25 where the psalmist is completely discouraged, lying in the dust, asking You to “Let Your teachings breathe new life into me”?

Or how about Psalm 33:6? “The Lord merely spoke, and the heavens were created. He breathed the word, and all the stars were born.”

And of course there's Psalm 150:6. “Let everything that breathes sing praises to the Lord! Praise the Lord!”

Father, I read these verses. My heart truly quickens. I think of all the reasons I have to praise and thank You. Yet I draw back from You. I feel so incredibly unworthy. Ashamed. Embarrassed.

Lead and guide me to Your Truth Blessed Father. Am I being careless and indifferent to the blessings You so perfectly provide? Or am I once again being too incredibly hard on myself? I honestly don't know.

You bless. I take. Do I give back? I don't know. I don't think so. My mind has me taking and taking and taking. Gratefully. But taking none the less.

Even this very moment, I just took a deep cleansing breath!

The other day I confessed to You that I feel messed up. My mind seems in constant conflict. I absolutely believe I don't do enough. But then I counter that with thoughts of when I used to try and do way too much.

You are our living, breathing God. I need You. I ask You to guide and direct every single aspect of my heart, soul, mind and strength into loving You as You so rightly command (Mark 12:30). Left to my own accord I will squander Your sacred breath. Don't let me do that.

I love You Dad. I long to have that evidenced in my living and breathing this very day. Your Word is Truth. Let me breathe it. Live it. Share it. Freely. Honestly. Openly. Willingly. Often. 

Balance me. Empower and enable me to see both the forest and the trees, not only my faults.

I love You Father. I need You. I want You. Let me breathe You this day. Thank You. Amen.

(447 words ~ 8:51 a.m.)