Having the breath knocked out of us is frightening. I remember playing softball in my childhood front yard. Unfortunately, I was the catcher behind the batter...and caught the end of a bat...once on my forehead, and later in my abdomen. I vividly recall lying on the ground gasping for breath...afraid, uncertain, helpless, desperate.
Recently, I experienced another loss of breath. Literally one second before my daughter and I began singing special music for a Church worship service, I could not breathe. The pianist had played the note for us to begin, since we were singing a cappella. What seemed like an eternity also seemed like the shortest moment of my life. My asthma had suddenly flared and I felt helpless, uncertain, afraid and desperate.
I immediately closed my eyes and prayed, "Breath of Heaven, please give me breath so I may sing this song to You." As my daughter began singing the first few measures before I joined her, I felt a peace...and breath...I knew came from Him alone. I still had to work to "hit the high notes" and hold other ones. I still had to use my inhaler when we returned to the green room. But He gave me the breath I needed. He saw me through...moment by moment.
Life's journey is similar. Sometimes we don't know how to face the next moment. We feel helpless, uncertain, afraid, desperate, hurt...and perhaps even alone. We don't understand. We have no strength.
I have found that talking to Him...silently or audibly, extensively or briefly...in those moments makes all the difference. He hears. He holds. He listens. He loves. He cares. He carries. May each breath He grants me be used to praise Him, my One and Only Breath of Heaven.♥~thl
"Let everything that has breath praise the Lord. Praise the Lord." Psalm 150: 6
No comments:
Post a Comment