I walked along our country road thinking about the breath of God. Ruach. Beside me, fallen leaves rustled and swirled around in a gentle breeze that escorted me on my path. I watched and listened as I kept up my pace, thankful for the cooling of the breeze, pondering the movement of the leaves that seemingly came alive, yet in reality were dead.
The Leaves Seemingly Came Alive in the Breeze, His Breath. Ruach.
The leaves had fallen — a sure sign of an early fall.
Their color was gone now. They were dry and brittle.
And yet they danced in the wind — moved by the powerful breath of God.
Ruach.
The breath of God. His Spirit. His spoken word.
Ruach. The Breath of God
When God spoke — His breath escaped his lips with every word — and a billion stars were born, the moon and the sun were hung in place.
God spoke again– ruach — and the earth was formed, His breath traversing across every nook and cranny, vegetation, and creature, bringing life.
“And the Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being” (Genesis 2:7).
Can you imagine the Lord molding Adam’s body from the dust of the earth, cupping his lifeless face in His hands, and breathing life — His Spirit — into Adam’s lungs?
What a tender moment of a Father’s love!
Ruach.
If we listen, we will hear His still, delicate whisper deep within, speaking to our deepest needs, the breath of His Spirit making all things new.
He speaks to the fear, and it is gone.
He speaks to the chaos, the failures, and the confusion, and the breath of His Spirit demands that it go.
And when things go wrong and I can’t catch my breath, my Father cups my face in His hands and breathes new life — new hope — into my weary spirit.
How great is our God!
Like a Gentle Breeze on a Sweltering Day, He Breathed on Me. Ruach.
I continued around the bend, a few of the leaves skipping ahead of me. I loved seeing new life in them, even if for a short time. Like the leaves, my spirit had been dry and brittle, joy leaking through the broken places.
The skipping leaves gave me hope.
I smiled, and then the Spirit of God — Ruach — came along pursuing me with His love. Like a gentle breeze on a sweltering day, He breathed on me. The power of His Holy Spirit embraced me and quickened my body bent with the weight of my burdens.
Although the color in my cheeks may have drained for a bit, my spirit came alive with Him, and a skip returned to my steps. A touch of heaven restored and refreshed me.
God spoke life into me once again.
Ruach. The powerful breath of God.
Selah
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Sweet blessings to you,
Absolutely beautiful sweet friend. I have never heard that word for God’s breath. Spirit of the living God, fall fresh on me.
I think it’s a beautiful word. It conjures us majesty and power to me. Thank you for your sweet words.