Breathing

We human beings take a lot of things FOR GRANTED. Yet, MANY THINGS IN LIFE are VERY IMPORTANT. One of these phenomena is what we call "breathing." The human body is a mysterious, miraculous, amazing piece of work. Just one part of the human body is a pair of two lungs. These are saclike organs forming the special respiratory organ of air-breathing vertebrates. Doctors and researchers can give us all the details of the intricate make-up of the lungs. Then, through the lungs the body moves into the nostrils. Outside the nostrils, there is air, and in the air there is oxygen. And somehow, these lungs pull in the outside air and filtrate through the air to sort out oxygen, so that each human being can LIVE. How can ANYONE who is thinking at all that there is not a MASTER WORKER who makes lungs and BREATHING?

Breathing is absolutely vital to life. We all know this, but we easily forget. So let me give you a few quick windows of this reality.
1. I was born in 1933. A brother followed the next year. Then a third brother followed about six years later. And finally, a sister was stillborn, so never saw the light of lift. When I was about eight years old [remember, this was the early 1940s], our whole family was struck with a severe "bronchial" disease of some sort. I cannot tell you WHAT the disease was. I am not really sure at that time WHAT the doctors REALLY thought the problem was. At my early age, I remember that I an my two brothers were kept under a "tent" over our beds, and told to do certain things in the hope we would survive. I have tried to reconstruct what this might have been, and have come up with: bronchitis, bronchiolotis, catarrh, rheum, croup, flu, laryngitis, pleurisy, pneumonia, bronchopneumonia, lobar pneumonia, thrust, whooping cough, and the list goes on and on. As I flounder on this, my doctors probably laugh at my issue, and know exactly what occurred in those days. But the bottom line is this: I and my older brother died, and my little brother about age two or three did not survived, and his cemetery is still here in Abilene. "Breathing" is vital to life.
2. I have many friends who suffer from serious aspects of allergies or pollens. They must be very careful to avoid flowers, plants, perfumes, etc., in order to survive. Many of us are glibly unaware of the dangers of this type facing life BECAUSE of problems about "breathing."
3. Our government constantly urges people to avoid smoking, BECAUSE this may [and very often does] shorten a person's life. We can cite many "famous" people who died at an early age because they did not take "breathing" seriously--and, of course, this is inseparably connected with the lungs and the respiratory system.

NOW, having introduced this reality in human life. The Bible teaches that there are some very important truths we need to come to grips with about "breathing."

1. "Breath" or "breathing" is a GIFT OF GOD. I entered into life "breathing," and when I stop or quit "breathing," I will die. Psalm 104:29-30 states this succinctly:
"When you [God] hide you face, they [human beings] are dismayed;
when YOU TAKE AWAY THEIR BREATH, they die,
and return to their dust.
When you [God] send forth your spirit [breath], they are created;
and you renew the face of the ground."
Echoing one of our songs: "YOU GIVE AND TAKE AWAY," God is the great giver of all gifts. And one of those gifts is "breath." Genesis 2:7 says: "The Lord God FORMED man from the dust of the ground, and BREATHED INTO HIS NOSTRILS THE BREATH OF LIFE; and the man became a LIVING being." This is the way--the only way--that each of us comes into being, and continue to live. SO, I am personally VERY THANKFUL for EVERY BREATH that God gives me. I am totally dependent on my GIVER. Some day, God will choose to "take away my breath," and I will die. But this is also A-OKAY--because has blessed me through many years to sustain me with his marvelous gift of "breath."

2. A breath is VERY BRIEF. The Bible says that life--whether it be a day, a month, a year, ten years, forty years, seventy years, even 100 years--is VERY BRIEF. And we need to realize EVERY DAY that life [my life and your life and everyone else's is VERY BRIEF]. Here are a couple of texts one might consider and ponder.

Isaiah 2:22: "Turn away from mortals,
who have ONLY BREATH IN THEIR NOSTRILS,
for of what account are they?"
When we become so fearful and anxious and concerned about powerful, rich, influential people and we are striving to serve God, remember--all these people are "only a breath in their nostrils." God alone will prevail. God alone can sustain us.

Psalm 90:9-10: "For all our days pass away under your [God's] wrath;
our years come to an end LIKE A SIGH.
The days of our life are seventy years,
or perhaps eighty, if we are strong;
even then their span is only toil and trouble;
they are SOON GONE, and WE FLY AWAY."
This simile--Life is LIKE A SIGH. What is a "sigh." It is pulling air into the nostrils for a brief moment--the beginning of a "single breath." Then the "sigh" is gone--Life [no matter how long] is gone.

These are sobering thoughts--and very important. Do you appreciate God's gift of "breath"? Be thankful for this mighty gift of God every day.

Share these thoughts with your family, your friends, your community, your church, your nation. Let me know how you respond.

John Willis