Catch Your Breath with God

Scripture

 “He is the God who made the world and everything in it. Since he is Lord of heaven and earth, he doesn’t live in man-made temples, and human hands can’t serve his needs—for he has no needs. He himself gives life and breath to everything, and he satisfies every need.” (Acts 17:24, 25 NLT)

 Catch Your Breath with God

 “I’d just like to catch my breath” a friend said recently. The pressures of job, family, community and volunteer assignments overwhelmed. There are days when we just want to sit still for a few minutes and let the noise and the pressure abate.

 Too often people like me may suggest instituting some special times for prayer and quiet – developing a practice of prayer. Sometimes what I should suggest is just find a comfortable chair, in a safe, quiet location and do nothing but connect with your breathing.

 We believe that we have the breath of God giving us life. Perhaps connecting with God by quietly breathing in and slowly breathing out is all we can handle. We believe that God is present and if God’s presence is expressed by our continued breathing maybe that’s all we need for that moment.

 In those quiet moments we may discover that God’s love is compassionately present in the overwhelming events of life. We may not be able to articulate it, but we can experience it. An old monk once said “Silence is the language God most understands.”

 A Prayer for Today

 Loving God who loves silence, I am sitting here in this quiet place, distracted by many responsibilities and pressure. I am simply going to sit here with the breath you have given me. I breathe and breathe out.…. For Jesus’ sake