7 I thought, ‘Age should speak;
advanced years should teach wisdom.’;
8 But it is the spirit in a person,;
the breath of the Almighty, that gives us understanding.
-Job 32:7-8
This past Sunday when we gathered to worship in our Covid safe spaces….forced to distance from one another, the WOW message captured me, especially so as we were singing “Breathe on Me, Breath of God”. Taking me to a remembered place no Mother ever wants to go. On June 6, 1984 our oldest child lay in a hospital bed on a ventilator, while an electrode device in his forehead searched for any flicker of life.
The spirit and breath of God was no longer in our beautiful son. It was the ventilator that provided oxygen assistance that gave his body the appearance of life. Mark was brain dead. Organ donation became an answered prayer for so many …….others.
“The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me/us life.” (Job 33:4)
Each day I had to ask God for help to just function. I didn’t realize it at the time but I was using a form of Prayer known as “Breath Prayer” (inhale) Please God,, (Exhale) tell me what to do.
It was so simple and yet, such a profound realization. God is always with us. I did know that from my childhood. A time when I had been having terrible nightmares and my mother had given me a picture of Jesus to keep under my pillow. “When you feel scared just reach for HIS picture” mom had told me.
It is comforting and to this day there are times when my hand goes under my pillow….it’s a thank-you for being there kind of prayer.
I cannot finish this meditation without taking you to the Chartres style Labyrinth….in the very center is a circle surrounded by six smaller circles. No one really knows what they symbolize ……however when sharing the Labyrinth with children….. I have used the smaller circles to talk about the days of creation placing pictures of the darkness, water, sun, moon, plants. Animals and of course how God breathed life into his people. The story has also told them what God did on the 7th day……so when the children walk, skip and run all over the labyrinth they know what to do in the very center ….that is the special place to “Rest and Breathe with God.”
–Beverly Marriner
After all:
Our God is bigger than coronavirus.
Our vision is bigger than coronavirus, too.
We are people blessing people.
We are Wesley Church.
Want to know more?
- Learn about our church and its ministries: https://wesleychurch.com/
- Make a gift to support our mission: https://wesleychurch.com/giving-2/
- View our recent messages: https://wesleychurch.com/sermon-message-on-video/
- View previous devotionals: https://wesleychurch.com/pastor-candys-devotionals-2/
