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!
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!
Photo by Eli DeFaria on Unsplash.
Recent
Categories
Archive
2026
January
My Word for the Year... LIGHT2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 12026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 22026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 32026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 42026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 5Welcome to 2026 - New Resources2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 62026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 72026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 8New Year Prayer Focus2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 92026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 102026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 112026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 122026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 132026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 142026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 152026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 16Darkness and Light2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 172026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 182026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 192026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 202026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 212026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 222026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 232026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 242026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 252026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 262026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 272026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 282026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 292026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 30Together as the Body of Christ2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 31
February
2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 322026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 332026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 342026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 352026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 362026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 37This Shouldn’t Need to Be Said...2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 382026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 392026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 402026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 412026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 422026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 432026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 442026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 452026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 462026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 472026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 482026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 492026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 502026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 512026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 522026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 532026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 542026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 552026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 562026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 572026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 582026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 59
March
2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 602026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 612026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 622026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 632026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 642026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 652026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 662026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 672026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 682026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 692026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 702026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 712026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 722026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 732026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 742026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 752026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 762026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 772026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 782026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 792026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 802026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 812026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 822026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 832026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 84
April
2026 Reading Plan Reflections - Days 85 & 862026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 872026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 882026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 892026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 902026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 912026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 922026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 932026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 942026 Reading Plan Reflections - Day 95
1 Comment
What a God! That He cares as He does. For me.