God’s Breath
Hi, I’m Joni Eareckson Tada and welcome to “Joni and Friends” where you know we’re always singing.
O Breath of Life, come sweeping through us
Revive Your church with life and power
O Breath of Life, come cleanse renew us
And fit Your church to meet this hour.*
Now, you might not be familiar with that song; it’s in the Trinity Hymnal. Every time I sing this hymn, I think of a very special encounter. I was with my friends, Robert and Bobbie Wolgemuth, and we were just leaving a local hotel to go to a studio to record songs for a book we were working on called “Hymns for a Kid’s Heart.” Anyway, as we left the hotel and stepped out into the front portico, the three of us noticed a couple getting out of their car, with suitcases and garment bags, we could tell they were from out of town and so we took a moment to greet them. I noticed that the man was on oxygen and behind him, he was pulling a little oxygen tank on wheels. When I asked about his condition, the man mentioned that they had come to town for a consultation with a lung specialist – they were hoping that he might be able to get on a lung transplant list, that’s how bad his breathing was. They looked tired from their journey and, I could tell they were weary from dealing with his disability.
So right out of the blue, right there under the front portico of the hotel, Bobbie asked if we could stop and pray for them. Even though it wasn’t clear that they were Christians, this couple seemed to really appreciate the offer and so, we stopped, and we prayed. And as soon as we said “Amen,” all three of us broke out into a hymn about God being our breath of life. Come, sweep through us. The couple smiled in amazement as Bobbie and Robert and I blended our harmony and our melody, singing it over them as a prayer of blessing and comfort, and I think that hymn was a way of reminding them that God was going to be their source and sustainer for every breath, every breath that they would draw. When we sang the Amen, the couple nearly had tears in their eyes, they were so grateful for such a personal touch from utter strangers.
You know, I went away from that encounter very grateful for a healthy set of lungs. As a quadriplegic, my breathing capacity is limited; I guess you can maybe even hear it on that hymn I just sung at the top of our time together. My lungs aren’t the best, but meeting that gentleman on oxygen outside the hotel that day reminded me of that wonderful verse from Acts Chapter 17 that says, “In him we live and move and have our being.” Every breath we draw is a gracious gift from our Savior the Lord and giver of life; the Lord the breath of life.
So, take a moment today to thank God for these simple, but profound gifts – the ability to see and hear and yes, the gift of breath. And how about praying right now for someone you know who is struggling with breathing problems. Ask God to breathe healing and hope on them. If it’s a stranger, (like this couple we met at the hotel) pause and stop would you, and pray for them, and if you are brave enough, if you got the courage, sing a hymn as a prayer of breath-full blessing over them. It’s a wonderful way for God to speak to them to breath live on them through your prayer, through your concern.
© Joni and Friends
* Music: “O Breath of Life” written by Bessie P. Head, composed by Mary J. Hammond and Joel Blomquist, Public Domain
