And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. – Gen. 1:2b, ESV
Inspire. What’s that mean…literally? It means “to breathe into…” If I give you CPR, I inspire you in a very concrete way.
A friend of mine who is an orthodox rabbi tells me that God’s speech in creating is God breathing, for there can be no speech without breath. He continues to explain that the Hebrew text lacks vowels because it isn’t the word of the LORD until spoken… breathed… in community.
Oh…and the “Spirit of God” is literally the “Breath of God”… The transliterated Hebrew is Ruach HaKodesh, IIRC.
Application:
- How & Where is God giving you CPR … that is, breathing LIFE into you?
- How & where are you exhaling God’s breath? Who benefits? (Remember…exhaling is a subtle thing… not necessarily breaking your favorite guitar over someone’s head! ) Are you giving away what you’ve been given?
- Part of the principle that the text is just a dusty old book until read in community leads us to the fact that the Bible is a Community story. It should be discussed, understood, and lived in a community that includes you, God, and others. (It doesn’t have to be a church, btw…) How are you including the Bible in your community (family, friends, etc)? How are you at trusting God to breathe into your community an understanding of how he interacted with others and will interact with you?
Join the conversation!
I look forward to hearing from you about how this one sentence weaves its way through your experience.
Blessings.
/jmt
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I hope you enjoy your time on the site and that something in these pages encourages your journey along the Way of Jesus. All thoughts here are my own and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts of others or of organizations with which I am affiliated. 
Over the years, I’ve been on a life support of sorts. As of late, things in my life have been given this “breath” of Life.
My day to day challenge has become knowing now where to pass it along…
Kinda like earning my CPR certification.
Looking forward to where this convo takes us…
Eric,
I pray that this conversation helps you learn to exhale everywhere…generously. But, you know and practice that…
How do you see that Breath flowing in your family and work communities? How do you take the words that you’ve read and heard and mix them in with the sands of life?
/jmt
Mike,
Ever imagine the whirling wind, carrying some clutter and leaves, flowing to and fro, moving the branches of trees?
That’s how I see His Breath moving through my life.
A gentle wisp of peace, love, joy, happiness and purpose that causes a smile, a tear or a shout.
Just like the ‘touch on the shoulder’ you speak of, I hear the opportunities to pass on the Breath. Allowing less of me and more of Him.
My mouth, my hands, my heart. But it’s His work that is done.
I just would like to be a small fan to advance the breeze.
~Uppie
“I must decrease…and He must increase.”
Uppie,
I get your imagery. Not a stiff breeze (at most times) that cannot be ignored, but a gentle breeze the tickles your ear and messes with your hair for attention. You gotta look to see where it’s going and what it’s doing…… Just like you have to LOOK and LISTEN to see what God is doing and prodding you to do….
Yeah, man….
/jmt