God's Breath

by Cindy Frauenheim

At the Women’s Salad Supper this week, I was really blessed by singing the hymn Breathe on Me, Breath of God. I have sung it many times before, but this time I almost felt His breath as I took in those simple yet profound words. The words became my prayer. This morning I dug out the words again to sing it in the privacy of my kitchen, alone. I cannot sing well at all, and am not given to breaking out in song, so this is really a rare thing for me to do! Later I sang it as I drove to and from errands.

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 my will is one with Thine,

To do and to endure.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

Till I am wholly Thine,

Until this earthly part of me

Glows with Thy fire divine.

Breathe on me, Breath of God,

So shall I never die,

But live with Thee the perfect life

Of Thine eternity.

I especially want to meditate on the first two verses and how the hymn points me to the enabling breath of God. If I am to love, act, will, and endure in ways pleasing to God – in His ways – then I must have His breath upon me. I cannot just decide that I want to love others and be Christ-like out of my own strength and initiative.

^“…for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose.” Philippians 2:13

God working in me is his Holy Spirit – breath has long been associated with the concept of the Holy Spirit. I love the promise that God is even shaping my desires. I just need to yield to his life-giving breath. His spirit also enables me to endure – both in the sense of enduring hard things, and in the sense of persevering and standing firm in the truth. So I am encouraged to ask daily for a fresh breath from the Lord. I need to be filled with His Spirit to be about His business.

Lord, thank you for your breath that creates and fills with life. Thank you that your breath in me gives me the desire and ability to love and live according to your will. May I daily yield to your Spirit, from my first moments of consciousness each morning. And may you fill me more and more so that I end up “glowing with your fire” to those around me.