What You Might Take for Granted
“Then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature” (Genesis 2:7).
My daughter, listening to Me is a practice I want to teach you. So, first, take a deep breath. And again. Slow down now. Wait a bit, for Me. For I am here. Trust that I am here. As you listen to the sound of your breath, as you feel your lungs expand—the air pushing through, your chest rising and falling—think about inhaling Me, breathing Me in. I am as close as your breath. I have created you so I am in you, part of you. I am the natural rhythm of your breathing.
Inhale. Breathe deeply now. Be aware of that sound, the sound of your body inhaling. One breath, and then another. Think of Me when you breathe. It is something you take for granted, isn’t it, this breathing? You assume the air will be there for you to breathe; your lungs will have what they need so that you can live another day. Your body needs air, but you need Me. Your soul needs Me more than your body needs air.
I am what you are desperate for. You are not alive without Me. Your soul does not breathe without Me. I am fresh air in tired lungs that live to expand and take in this fresh air I offer.
Oh, daughter, breathe Me in. All the way now. Breathe Me in.
And this is the sound of my voice in you: your breathing Me in and breathing Me out. It is so simple. Your thinking of Me is your listening for Me, hearing Me, knowing I am in you and I love you and you crave Me more than anything.
There is no magic formula for listening to Me well. There is no complicated list of suggestions to follow. I have no checklist. I have no program to offer you. But I have myself to give you—to give you again and again. And when I give you myself, I give you all of myself. I don’t hold myself back from you. I do not set myself apart. I want no separation from you. I give you all of Me for I want all of you.
So breathe, my child. Breathe Me in. All of Me. Think about how much you need Me . . . And my love for you will pour out, and you will know Me more, and my goodness will flood your heart. Then, you will know, even more, whose you are and who you love and how good it is to breathe air. Air that is pure, air that is fresh, air that sustains.
|| More Resources For You ||
“What’s something about yourself as a child that still rings true today?” This was a question we recently posted in Loop Collective’s “Living Room,” and the responses we received were so honest … Some shared wonderful things they discovered as little girls, like that Jesus loves them or that they found joy in playing the piano. Others recalled hurtful labels they were given as children—or roles they had to take on that should have belonged to their parents. Yet each woman found hope and comfort as they encouraged each other with truth. What a lovely thing to watch … would you like to participate, too? You’re welcome and wanted here.
There’s a greater tension in the air nowadays. Can you feel it? When neighbors don’t try to connect anymore, when opponents trade disagreement for outright hostility, when a difference of opinion is considered enough reason to shut someone out of your life for good. Where is the enemy-embracing love Jesus preached 2,000 years ago? In our anger-fueled culture, that kind of love can seem like a pipe dream. But as this author points out, there is another way to live. And it’s so, so beautiful.
A prayer for you today: “Father, thank You for knowing me better than I know myself. Show me how I ache, where I feel prideful or jealous or insecure—how I yearn for something I don’t have right now, or something I fear I may never have. Thank You that You are right here with me, and that You are all I need. Your love is so vast—it is enough for me. Show me, here, more of Your tender heart. Amen.” Tune in to Candace Cameron Bure’s conversation with Madi to explore why we feel insecure so often, and how to let Jesus heal those wounded areas of our identity.
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