Wednesday, August 24, 2022
The Rev. Rob Stevens
The Breath of God
An image that has aided me on my journey of faith is that of breathing. Although an unconscious practice most of the time, breathing is essential for life. Breathing is not a one-way process. One must inhale and exhale. Balance of action is necessary for effective breathing. This is a helpful metaphor for our life as well. Like the petulant child that threatens to hold his breath until he gets his way, we can attempt to inhale without ceasing and isolate ourselves from people and opportunities that lead us closer to God and others. This results in a common affliction in our culture I like to call, “Affluenza” or other ailments of selfishness. Perhaps more insidious is the temptation to exhale constantly with the appearance of serving others while never taking the much needed breath for ourselves that gives our service life, meaning and joy. The result of this can be healthy dose of resentment and emptiness. If we are serving God or others in order to obtain credit or worthiness we are doomed from the start. Service is the natural response to a good deep breath.
Our lives, spiritually, emotionally, physically and mentally crave oxygen. We need the breath of God, the Spirit, to infuse our lives in order to live well. Slowing down to breath deeply takes practice and patience. It is however, a practice that is worth the effort. A favorite song of mine by the Indigo Girls has a lyric that says it well. “Darkness has a hunger that’s insatiable, and lightness has a call that’s hard to hear” Taking time to examine my breathing, as a metaphor for life, enables me to pay attention to my life and to God in a way that empowers me to resist the insatiable hunger and noise of darkness and hear that small still voice of lightness.
Communities like St. John’s have an opportunity. We can be helpful to each other with our respiratory issues. We can breathe deeply in worship and fellowship while exhaling the Holy Spirit to the world through our service of others. This is Church. This is the work and play of the children of God.
Examine your “breathing.” Do you sense balance or imbalance? Are you oxygen deprived or do you have excess breath to share? Our lives are the gifts that we have to offer ourselves and the world. Do all in your power to practice “breathing” well. And thank God we have a community that supports us in that process.