“Breathe on Me, Breath of God”
- 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, So shall I never die, But live with Thee the perfect life Of Thine eternity.
Words: Edwin Hatch, 1878. Music: “Aylesbury” or “Wirksworth”, found in John Chetham’s Psalmody, 1718. Setting: “Hymns Ancient and Modern”, 1904. Copyright: Public domain.
What grace, compassion, and hope is contained in this hymn. You read it at the beginning. Use it as the prayer conclusion of this devotion too.
We were created with the breath of God, Genesis 2:7: “Then the Lord God formed a man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.”
Jesus renewed us, John 20:19-23: “On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ After He said this, He showed them His hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. Again Jesus said, ‘Peace be with you! As the Father has sent Me, I am sending you.’ And with that He breathed on them and said, ‘Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.’”
St. Paul reminds us of the Power of God in and through His Word, 2 Timothy 3:16-17: “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”
With all this in mind, what does your breath smell like? Again St. Paul reminds us of what we bear from God as His disciples, 2 Corinthians 2:14-17: “But thanks be to God, who always leads us as captives in Christ’s triumphal procession and uses us to spread the aroma of the knowledge of Him everywhere. For we are to God the pleasing aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing. To the one we are an aroma that brings death; to the other, an aroma that brings life. And who is equal to such a task? Unlike so many, we do not peddle the word of God for profit. On the contrary, in Christ we speak before God with sincerity, as those sent from God.”
What a joy to be one who has the power of God’s Holy Spirit to refresh our breath, our lives, through repentance, forgiveness, mercy and hope. We enjoy that so let’s pray that same opportunity into the lives of others who struggle with life and life’s circumstances.
Prayer
“Breathe on Me, Breath of God” (above)
Pray, praise, give thanks, and stay encouraged!
Pastor Mike
