Fresh Breath

Spirit--the Bible Dictionary defines it as wind or breath.

2 Thes. 2:8 (NIV) "And then the lawless one will be revealed, whom the Lord Jesus will overthrow with the breath of his mouth..."

John 20:22 (NIV) "And with that he (Jesus) breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit.'"

Genesis 2:7 (NIV) "...the Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

Song of Solomon 7:8 (NIV) "May...the fragrance of your breath (be) like apples..."




Today when I sat down to ask the Lord what I should write about, I put on a song to settle my mind and really sit still and listen for God's voice. His inspiration. His idea. The bread for today. I chose a favorite artist who's songs I turn to at times like this, when a calm heart and an open mind are in order. Not songs that just let my thoughts wander willy-nilly...but when I want to focus on the goodness of God. Some call this type of music, "soaking music". The artist's name is Grace Williams and the song is titled "Breathe on Me" from an album called "Deep Waters". I searched on youtube for it to post a link for you, but couldn't find that particular song. I urge you to seek it out, if interested. That whole album has been a sweet place of refreshing for me. But anyway, in this song, she sings to the Lord that she wants him to Breathe on her. To fall on her. That when her day is over and done she's still gonna need Him some more--cause He's the only one that satisfies. It's a beautiful song that often echoes the cry of my heart.

I'd learned a long time ago that the Holy Spirit, that word "Spirit" in the Bible often is translated "Wind" or "Breath". I think of the Breath of Heaven...The Wind storm at Pentecost, etc. When it's a particularly blustery day outside, I am reminded of the Spirit of God moving and I encourage Him to sweep through and shake things up. Knock the dead leaves outta the branches and such.

Breath hasn't always been a wonderful or especially spiritual thing for me....in fact, in some ways, it represents the uttermost dark and ugliest moments of my life. The pit. (But our God is the Redeemer, isn't He?) God has healed me in that area, and ironically, I spent many years actually working in people's mouths! (I was a dental assistant for 11 years.) People breathing on me--all the time!!! And I admit, I am still not particularly fond of the sensation of some one's breath hitting my face, even if it's fresh breath, which it rarely is. I flinch. I hold my own breath. And I need to remind myself of God's work in my life. And that breath is good. That life is good. And I ask Him again, to Breathe on me. To whisk away the debris of the past with His Spirit. It's a kind of "reality check".


As a whole, we spend a lot of time pursuing things that give us fresh breath. We have toothpaste and floss and mints and gum and mouthwash.....all good pursuits! Even our pets have a whole assortment of products available to help them out in that arena (and boy do they need it!). Halitosis reigns! And we have come up with some pretty clever ways to deal with it. And what we wouldn't do for the refreshing taste of a York Peppermint Patty! ;) Even Job's wife had something to say about her husband's breath, evidently..."My breath is offensive to my wife..." (Job 19:17)

And you can tell a lot about someone from their breath. What they've been eating (garlic!). What they've been drinking (too much!). If they just completed a 4 mile run (the dog panting!!). You can even tell if someone might be a diabetic by the sweet aroma of their breath. Another sort of "reality check".

(I just popped in a piece of mint gum without even consciously thinking about it! Ah!!!)

But I am so glad, so grateful that God breathed His life into dust. That He is so big that he can do that. That He sustains me each day with His Breath, His Spirit, His Wind. That someday Jesus will return and with the very breath of His mouth, destroy all of His enemies. I'm glad that God has fresh breath.

"The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life." Job 33: 4 (NIV)