Present with God: In my Breath

​"If he should set his heart to it and gather to himself his spirit and breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust." -Job 34:14-15

Each breath is evidence of God‘s presence.

There are few things more powerful, more central to meditative practice, or more critical to life than breath. Physically speaking breath is the resource we will die quickest if we are deprived of it. Most contemplative practices begin with a focus on observing and controlling our breath.

Controlling your breath can have powerful effects. It can slow your heart rate. It can calm anxiety. It can even influence the mood of those around you.

Job reminds us that our breath is at the core of our spiritual experience of God’s presence. For Job, our breath is a resource which finds its source in God, which gives life to all creatures, and which could be gathered back if God chose.

So, the fact that we continue to breathe is evidence of God’s provision and presence in our lives.

Imagine if we lived with a conscious awareness of this powerful truth. With each breath, we would be reminded that God loved us enough to bring us to life. With each breath, we would know that God continues to animate and energize us. With each breath, we would know that God is with us in intimate connection. With each breath, we receive an affirmation that we are not alone...that God is still working in us for our good, and that he will continue to be our provider and protector.

Being present with God is an invitation to experience each breath as a reminder of this power and presence in our lives. It is a reminder that each breath is a participation with the divine.

Be Present with God

Make some time to be present with God. Begin by making yourself aware of your breath. Notice the tempo and depth as your lungs expand to fill and contract to empty. Feel the effect that your breath has on your body. Turn your awareness of your breath to God. Receive each breath with a word of thanks and praise. Recieve each breath as an affirmation of God's presence. Ask God to help you take this awareness into your day. Thank him for the way he has made you aware of his presence in this time.