Blew Into His Nostrils
Welcome to Word for the Week, the series in which I:
share my experience of hearing God’s Word in Mass last weekend,
explore what I believe the Lord is calling me to do about that Word, and
ask how this Word might impact your life, as well.
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We all went to Mass together last Sunday. It’s been a couple of months.
David and I had the help of my 19-year-old sister, Veronica, so the adult-to-kid ratio was a little more even. It was painful, nonetheless. Serra! She kept talking the entire Mass. The man in the pew ahead of us would stiffen his back and cock his head to the side whenever she made a noise. I was, in turn, stressed the entire time.
However. When my biggest stressor for the week is sitting in a warm, bright church with my healthy, happy family: life’s going really well. I’m grateful!
Despite the distractions of a playful toddler and my own pride, the words “blew into his nostrils” caught my attention. For context, the full verse is:
“The Lord God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.”
Maybe this stood out because it was the first sentence of all the readings. Or maybe it was due to my difficulty taking a deep breath in Mass. Either way, it helped immediately to think of God’s breath entering me and filling my lungs! (Thank you, Lord!) As I carried the word with me this week, the Spirit led me through some awesome reflections on my dependence on God.
I thought of the times when I worry about my life, “what to eat or what to wear.” Yet the God of the entire universe is sustaining me moment by moment! I concluded that if He cares enough to keep me breathing, I can trust Him to care for the rest of my temporal needs, as well. (Matthew 6:25)
We can see an image of Jesus’ power over our breath in the story of the little girl whom Jesus raised from the dead. When Jesus first arrived at her home, the family was panicking. Their beloved daughter, sister, friend was gone.
It almost sounds like Jesus is playing with them. “The girl is not dead, but asleep.” (Matthew 9:24) Envision their incredulity.
“No! She doesn’t have a pulse!”
Yet death is no match for the Lord. He is sovereign over all creation, including the breath in our lungs. Jesus takes her hand and she arises. She might as well have been sleeping! This story always strikes me humorously and it helps curb my own propensity for panic mode.
What concerns are you carrying today? Maybe it’s not losing a loved one like the family in the gospel story, but maybe there are some serious concerns weighing you down. I’ll invite you to join me in focusing on your breath for a moment or two. Perhaps reflecting on this most simple and significant gift from the Lord, will help put our cares into the perspective of God’s love for us.
P.S. Please enjoy the photos from my flight over the Grand Canyon today, speaking of God’s sovereignty.
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