Breathing With God

The most intimate act in the creation account is not the shaping of Adam from dust. It is what follows: God bending close and breathing into him. The breath of life is God's own breath — shared intimately, directly, personally. Every breath you have ever drawn is a continuation of that first moment of intimacy.

In Hebrew, the word for breath and the word for spirit are closely related. Ruach — wind, breath, spirit — shows up throughout the Old Testament as a way of describing God's active, life-giving presence. To breathe is, in some deep sense, to participate in the divine gift of life.

The ancient practice of breath prayer — breathing slowly and consciously in the presence of God — is rooted in this theology. It is not Eastern mysticism imported into Christianity. It is a return to Genesis 2:7. Each breath received, each breath released. Receiving what God gives. Releasing what belongs to Him.

For those of us who have been anxious, breath is often the first casualty. We hold it, shorten it, forget to do it properly. Returning to slow, conscious breath is returning to the body God created, participating again in the most basic gift He gave us.

Today, let your breathing be a prayer. Breathe in the peace of God. Breathe out what you have been gripping. There is no formula required. Just the simple, ancient act of receiving breath from the One who first gave it.

This is what it means to breathe with God. And it turns out, it is very close to what it means to be at peace.