Day 21: Genesis 49-Exodus 4; Matthew 16

At our recent pastor's prayer retreat, our District Superintendent, Rev. Kerry Willis, focused his prayer session on Exodus 3:14. When Moses asked God His name (all pagan gods had names, so to Moses it stood to reason that God must as well), God condescended to give Moses, Israel, and all of us 'The Name' (by the way, this is how faithful Jewish people to this day refer to Him: 'The Name' - Ha Shem). Names are proper nouns. If you remember English class, you know what I am talking about. God told Moses His name is YHWH...not a proper noun, but a verb. Since Hebrew does not have vowels, and for our convenience in pronunciation, we add vowels to YHWH and the derivative is Yahweh (Jehovah). This is a book's worth of conversation. Suffice it to say, YHWH means 'I AM' (spelled out it can mean, "I will be to you what you need Me to be, when you need Me to be that," Dr. Alvin Lawhead, former seminary Old Testament Professor). Powerful! Present Promise-keeping, Covenant God, I AM Who I AM!

Our D.S. spent time talking about the syllables of YHWH (YH/WH). Quite literally, YH is the breath of inhaling; WH is the exhale of breath. YH/WH - to breathe (especially through the mouth) is to speak His Name, The Name. Think about the implications. The first thing a newborn baby does is inhale and exhale...he, or she, breathes His Name: YH/WH. The last breath of a dying person is His Name: YH/WH. In reality, to breathe is to pray. That may seem to be stretching things a little, but consider the call to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17). To the one in whom Christ dwells, to breathe is to pray. So Oswald Chambers, among others, is correct to call prayer 'the breath of the soul.' Furthermore, if you are a Christian, then you are 'born of the Spirit' (John 3:8). The word 'Spirit' in both Hebrew and Greek means: 'Spirit, Breath, Wind.' God's Holy Breath is in you, breathing in you! He is also interceding for (Romans 8:26-27) and in (Ephesians 6:18) you. Sometimes words are not enough, but groanings (a form of breathing) that cannot be expressed in words are dear to the heart of God. These He understands completely!

You know, I could go on indefinitely, but ponder this thought, child of God: to breathe is to pray. Just breathe!