Breath

There are some things in this life that are just too beautiful, too incredible, too wonderful that we say: “it takes my breath away”. What are some of those things for you?

For me, here are a few things that take my breath away.

The first look at my son and daughter.

The incredible reality that all their “pieces” were present and in the right place. The reality that these little babies were born from me, that their lives were, at least in the beginning, in my hands.

Jonathan 3 monrha — My son at 3 months of age.

“Behold, children are a heritage from the LORD, the fruit of the womb a reward.”

Psalm 127:3

Elizabeth christening 6 weeks old Easter 1978 — My daughter at 6 weeks of age with her grandmother.

These two little babies took my breath away, and I cried out to the Lord God in thanksgiving for their little lives, and in prayer for their future. They took my breath away.

Now, when I see them as adults with families of their own, I am so blessed. This, too, takes my breath away.

The beauty of the sunset.

Sunset over Annandale VA 2 — A Virginia Sunset

The day has been spent in doing many tasks, things that took time and energy, things that were encouraging and sometimes things that were incredibly hard. But at the end of the day, I can look at the sunset and know that God is in control.

The Levites were commanded to recognize that God alone was responsible for providing the day to them. David’s instructions included the following:

“And they were to stand every morning, thanking and praising the LORD, and likewise at evening,”

1 Chronicles 23:30

God’s watchful care results in praise to Him. This, too, takes my breath away!

Places of worship, such as Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England.

When we visited Canterbury Cathedral, the sign in the entrance way to the church and grounds advised that worship services were held in the Cathedral every day for over 1,400 years. St. Augustine came to England in 597 A.D. as a missionary and he ultimately became the first Archbishop of Canterbury. The building was magnificent; the stained-glass windows were beautiful; the soaring vaulted ceiling dwarfed the people inside. While all that is true, what I found most humbling was the reality that God had met with the people worshiping in this place for more than 1,400 years.

“For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them.“

Matthew 18:20

I was overwhelmed. This took my breath away!

God’s Word.

When reading God’s Word, often there are passages that speak to me and bring joy to my heart. His word brings a warmth to my soul, and its truths take my breath away.

Recently, we were studying Psalm 32 where David speaks of his relationship with God and of the damaging effect of his sin toward God.

“A Maskil of David. Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man against whom the LORD counts no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit.”

Psalm 32:1-2

Blessed, happy, is the one who, after coming to God in confession and repentance, is forgiven.

“For when I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Selah”

Psalm 32:3-4

David understood the heavy weight of unconfessed sin. His description is not only poetic, it is personal and profound.

“I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not cover my iniquity; I said, ‘I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,’ and you forgave the iniquity of my sin. Selah”

Psalm 32:5

David confessed his sin. He did not try to hide it from God; he understood that God already knew of his sin and what he had to do was to confess and seek forgiveness. David also expressed that God’s forgiveness meant that his sin was covered and would not be counted against him by God any longer.

“By steadfast love and faithfulness iniquity is atoned for, and by the fear of the LORD one turns away from evil.”

Proverbs 16:6

In our age, that of the New Testament covenant, we understand that through Jesus Christ’s atoning work on the cross, our sin is not only covered but that sin debt is erased, and our account is clean. Across our ledger page is written the words “Paid in full and covered by Christ’s righteousness.”

“You are a hiding place for me; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance. Selah”

Psalm 32:7

After David confessed and received forgiveness from his sin, he was secure in God and described this security in verse 7. The forgiven person is surrounded “with shouts of deliverance.” When we see pictures of people who were delivered from prison camps or from dangerous situations, such as a mine cave in, the rescued person is not shouting. They are too stunned, and sometimes too weak from the ordeal, to do much of anything. The rescuers are the ones who are shouting of deliverance and joy.

Have you ever thought about heaven surrounding you with shouts of deliverance when you have come to God seeking forgiveness from your sin?

“Many are the sorrows of the wicked, but steadfast love surrounds the one who trusts in the LORD. Be glad in the LORD, and rejoice, O righteous, and shout for joy, all you upright in heart!”

Psalm 32:10-11

The conclusion of the psalm is resounding joy, gladness, shouting for joy.

This, too, takes my breath away!

God’s love, His provision of the plan of salvation for you, His Son dying on the cross for our sin, not His. These are all truths that take my breath away. Why would God, the Almighty Creator, the Holy God who cannot look upon sin, the Righteous Judge of all, why would this God call me to Himself and adopt me as a child of His, clothing me with His Son’s righteousness and taking my filthy rags away.

Nothing that I have done or ever could do would merit such grace and mercy. I am a sinner saved by grace. This reality is overwhelming. This takes my breath away!

What about you?

What takes your breath away?

Father, I pray that these words would resonate with their readers and that You would be glorified. I pray that I would praise You for Your wonderous love and kindness, Your grace and mercy, Your goodness and righteousness that has covered my sin and canceled my debt, restoring my relationship with You through Your Son, my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

I enjoy reading. I enjoy research, which involves reading. I enjoy … well reading. Reading and analyzing was a part of my work career for many years but I enjoyed reading even before going to law school. So, what book do you love to read? What is your favorite book? If you were on a desert island and only had one book with you, what would it be?

I expect there would be a myriad of answers, and there are quite a number of books that I would like to have with me, but there is one that is high above the others, that is the love letter sent to us from a Holy God and it is entitled the Holy Bible.

I believe that the Holy Bible is the Word of God, that it is inspired and God-breathed, and that it is the only guide for my faith and life as a Christian. So, it is the book that I would select above all others.

In our home, there are a number of Bibles and each one has a special meaning to us. All are versions of the inspired Word of God.

Holy Bible KJV — The King James Version of Scripture that I have used for many decades.

This is the Bible that I used for many years. When it began to come apart, my beloved husband had it rebound for me. I use the English Standard Version now, but there are times that the text of the King James Version is just too beautiful for me to ignore.

Bible - Uncle Ed's worn Bible — My Great Uncle’s Bible that I received after my Great Aunt went to be with the Lord.

This is my Great Uncle’s Bible. It was so worn, that he had electrical tape around the edges to keep it together. One characteristic of this Bible is that in the front of it there were blank pages. These pages were for the owner to write notes in, to keep at hand references that would assist their study of the Scriptures, or even outlines of lessons that were presented during Sunday School or worship.

Bible - Uncle Ed's note pages — The tape used to affix the articles to the pages in my Great Uncle’s Bible are yellowed with age and, in many cases, no longer keep the note attached to the page.

The first entry is dated August 24. 1947. For more than 50 years my Uncle had written in his Bible, had kept copies of inspirational thoughts, had written the Sunday School lessons that he taught in the Men’s Class, and had read and notated the text of God’s Word. I have spent hours reading his notes and lessons that are recorded in these tissue-like pages of his Bible. This is a beautiful reminder of a man who is now with our Lord. I am blessed each time I read out of it.

Praise God that He has provided us with His Word.

“All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV

Note that this verse does not say “Only the New Testament is breathed out by God” or “Only the scripture that you think is easy to obey is breathed out by God” or “Ignore what you don’t like because this is just an historical text!”

ALL Scripture is the Word of God, even the passages that are difficult to hear. Scripture tells us that which He desires, how He wants us to live, what He values … we don’t have to guess and we don’t even have to ask. He has given us the answers already, and they are available if you just read His Word.

God’s Word is powerful. Through it the Holy Spirit can convict of sin, and through it the Holy Spirit can teach us how to grow into the likeness of Jesus Christ.

“For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

Hebrews 4:12 ESV

God’s Word is our guide to living the life that God has intended for His people to live. We are to share it and we are to express it through our life as we live out its teachings to those who watch us interact with others.

“Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

Colossians 3:16 ESV

I thank God that I live in a country where owning a Bible is not a crime and where I can carry my Bible with me without fear of being attacked or killed. Not all in our world are so blessed. My heart aches for them as I pray for those for whom owning a Bible seems to be a far off dream.

The Holy Bible is the inspired holy scripture of the one and only holy God. The Holy Bible truly is a love letter from the Almighty God to us, telling us everything we need to know to live a life that is pleasing to Him. We should recognize its inestimable worth and treat it with the respect that a love letter deserves!

So, what is your favorite book?

Father, I pray that we would remember that Your Word to us is holy, that You inspired the writers and that You protected the Word so that it has remained inviolate for thousands of years. Forgive me when I treat it with little respect or ignore it altogether. Help us to remember that it is Your Word to us, not just another book by some author or another. Reverent treatment should be afforded to the scriptures and loving use should be given as we cherish it through the years.