Breathing Continued...

A few posts ago I mentioned the spirituality of breathing, specifically the differences in the breathing of humans verses the breathing of God. After further reflection on this metaphor, I am really embracing this image. So to expand the metaphor a bit more...

It is vital that we take air into our lungs. As noted early, this air could be understood in the Christian sense as wind or spirit. Thus we can only live if we take in the breath/wind/spirit of God. But here is the kicker not only is taking breath into our lungs vital for our survival, but we have to exhale that breath/wind/spirit out to "complete" the breathing process.

To speak metaphorically, we can only live if we take in AND let go of the spirit of God.

Additionally, it is impossible for each of us to hold air in our lung forever. Likewise, it is impossible for humanity to hold on to God for any length of time.

Just as our lives area like breaths, so to are our understandings and experiences with God. Fleeting, whisper breaths.

And so I encourage you to continue to find metaphors which are rich in your life. Build on them, develop them and share them, you never know when your exhale will be your neighbors next breath of life.

Spiritual breathing

My last seminary paper which I turned in today, was on the topic "The Biblical Spirituality of Breathing". Although the paper is longer than I would post on this blog I did want to share some of what I learned.

Both humans and God breath. The difference is God's breath does much more than the breath of humans.

Like God, humanity breaths to sustain life. If God stopped breathing, so would we. But God's breath does much more than just sustain life. Perhaps this is what is meant that humanity has a divine spark within them. We have the ability to breath but only just a spark of the way God breaths.

God's breath is found in the creation of the world (Genesis 1, 2:7 and Psalms 33:6) and in the salvation of Israel by holding back the waters of the Red Sea (Exodus 14:21 and 15:10).

To describe God as one who breathes is a statement of faith in that idols of clay, stone or iron do not have the ability to breath (Habakkuk 2:19, Psalm 135:15-18) Perhaps my favorite scripture on this aspect comes to us from Jeremiah 10:14 which states; "Everyone is stupid and without knowledge; goldsmiths are all put to shame by their idols; for their images are false, and there is no breath in them."

The breath of God also judges people as in Isaiah 11:4 and Revelation 19:15.

And of course God is prophetic in breath such as in Ezekiel 37 to the dry bones and the Risen Christ who breathes the Holy Spirit to the Disciples in John 20.

I know that humans are not God. But at the same breath I am not sure I can totally affirm that God is totally and wholly other because we are made in the image of God. I know individual humans do not have the ability to encompass all the characteristics of God's breath, though I think some individuals are able to breath fuller than others.

But my question is this, "Can the Church as a collective body, breathe with all the characteristics of God's breath?"

God as projector; Jesus as slide

Dr. Osiek had a metaphor for Jesus she uses to understand the Jesus in the Gospel of John. Slides into a projector.

At first the projector is just a white square, but putting a slide in gives the white light box color, shape and tone. The slide gives the light meaning.

God is this flood of light. And white light has all color. Light is also a mystery in that it has both properties of a wave and a particle. Light is this which can be seen but not totally understood. So as the projector shines white light, so is God. Just as white light is incomprehensible, so is God.

But as a slide is put into the projector the white light gains meaning. The light is able to be understood and comprehended but us who are not able to fully see the white light. Likewise, Jesus is that slide for God. Jesus gives us the ability to see God in a way we would otherwise not be able to understand.