Breathe on me, breath of God

As I start this day I sit with coffee on the patio, listening to the waterfall.  The elementary bus just pulled up.  [By the way, I miss those days of the elementary school bus swallowing up my child and others outside my house and spitting them out in the afternoon.  Ah, the early years.]

My first thoughts this morning as I stepped outside were 'breathe in the breath of God'.  As I thought about that, I started thinking about the song "Breathe on me, breath of God".  It's an "oldie".

Edwin Hatch wrote "Breathe on me, breath of God" in 1878 and it is published in over 270 hymnals.

Verses 1-3: (From Cyberhymnal)

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Fill me with life anew,
That I may love what Thou dost love,
And do what Thou wouldst do.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Until my heart is pure,
Until with Thee I will one will,
To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, breath of God,
Blend all my soul with Thine,
Until this earthly part of me
Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, breath of God.

That is my desire today.  Daily.

Yesterday I took a step of faith that I knew I had to take in the moment.  One of those steps of faith like when I was on belay and going australian style down the mountain or regular style rappelling OR running off the ramp (tandem with an instructor) to take my hanggliding flight.  You knew it was the right thing (okay, maybe not for some folks) to do, but it was scary.  That's how it was yesterday. I knew that it was time, that it was the right thing to do and the right time.  As Rafiki says, "It is time." Yet, there was that tinge of fear inside me.  It didn't hold me back yesterday. Why was I fearful of declaring that I was following the way of Christ and living into loving the marginalized, etc.?  Isn't that what we are all called to do by Jesus Christ himself if we claim to be followers of the way of Christ?

Oddly enough, there is some fear and trepidation in truly following the way of Christ, in living out how Christ lived.  Every time Jesus got in that boat (at least in Mark's version) to get away to the other side, it seemed folks followed him or beat him there.  Jesus had compassion on the people and did ministry.  He still made time for time apart though.  That's another area of Jesus' example that I try to follow too.  It's also difficult.

Breathing in the breath of God each day.  Making time and space to be still and know God.  Those moments help tremendously.  In those moments I can listen.  We all need those moments and longer times of times apart.

In taking that step of faith yesterday, I had no idea what would come of it.  That was not mine.  Mine was to take the step.  To have had over 400 hits in one day on one blogpost was a shocker to me.  I was also amazed at the many comments in different places of how the words shared were words on others' hearts and minds.  I was humbled and encouraged by the support yesterday.  Thank you people.  Thank you God.

My prayer is that God will breathe on me so that I will be filled with life anew to do the things I am called to do in this day.

May it be so.

Blessings on your journey,

Debra