Just Breathe
There’s a sacramental quality to a deep breath.
A sacrament combines an earthly element with Divine Truth; visible and invisible elements, to bring the grace of God to bear. And so, with baptism there is the visible water and the invisibility of God’s Word! “Baptism…now saves you…” as Peter writes (1Peter 3.18) The grace of God comes to bear even in those who cannot understand it!
The sacrament of the Lord’s Supper is designed the same way for the same grace but with different elements. Bread and wine are visible, but when set aside/consecrated for the sacred purpose of communion are also the Body and Blood of Christ. This sacrament too brings the grace of God, the Power of the crucifixion and the Peace of the resurrection to bear! “Take eat, this is my Body” and “Drink of it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant poured out for many…” (Matthew 26.26f)
In each case, the earthly elements provide sensory experience to the spiritual Reality. Grace is experienced in body, mind and soul!
The sacramental quality of a deep breath lies in the proximity and power of the Holy Spirit within your every breath! First of all, the word for “Spirit” in Holy “Spirit” is the Greek, “pneuma” and means “breath,” “wind,” “spirit” or even “soul.” The Power and Peace of the Holy Spirit is as life-giving as your breathing right now! It’s as cleansing as a cleansing breath slowly exhaled – refreshing the soul by ridding it of contaminating sin.
The Holy Spirit is as close as the breath in your lungs; as sensational as an ocean breeze. It is the gift of eternal air from the resurrected Jesus (John 20.22) – invisible grace melded with your every breath.
It’s who and what we’ll celebrate Sunday on Pentecost!
Just breathe!
Karl