“The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4 NIV
Reflection: how close are you following the Lord? Close enough to hear His breath?
If you have ever been hiking together with someone, you know the importance of sticking together. And, you have probably noticed that if you walk pretty close, you can actually hear the others breathe. There is something very comforting, very close about hearing others breathe. And, if they are the leader, hearing their voice for guidance and instructions on the trail. In the same way, falling just a few feet behind, the sound of their breath disappears in the noise around you. However, you can still hear their voice, their instructions. The further you fall behind, and especially if the weather gets bad, you might lose both the sound and the sight of the one you are following. In heavy fog, you might end up picking the wrong fork in the trail and get lost.
And we all know that it is pretty easy to get lost in life, and we all do to some extent at times. To make a poor choice, to get on the wrong trail, and not knowing how to get back. We can sometimes wonder why God allows very difficult situations happen in our lives. Even heartbreaking situations. In the story of Job in the Old Testament, we get some insights into why. The love of God for mankind, to keep people from falling into or remaining in what is referred to here as “the pit”. In context, the pit means according to Strong’s definition “a pit (especially as a trap); figuratively, destruction:—corruption, destruction, ditch, grave, pit”, including the pit of Hell. We read “God has delivered me from going down to the pit, and I shall live to enjoy the light of life.’ “God does all these things to a person— twice, even three times— to turn them back from the pit, that the light of life may shine on them.”Job 33:28-30 NIV. So how does God do that?
One way He guides us is through “speaking” to us, in different ways. “For God does speak—now one way, now another— though no one perceives it. In a dream, in a vision of the night, when deep sleep falls on people as they slumber in their beds, he may speak in their ears and terrify them with warnings, to turn them from wrongdoing and keep them from pride, to preserve them from the pit, their lives from perishing by the sword.” Job 33:14-18 NIV. We understand here that He can only use such guidance if we can “hear” Him, understand what He is saying, and take action. So what if we ignore Him, ignore his warnings to us? What if we are defiant, wanting to go our own way?
As parents, we are familiar with the need for discipline. That a child is not capable of understanding “action – consequence” by themselves, but must be taught. We have invented ideas like “timeout”, “go to your room”, or “you’re grounded” for a soft way of correcting the child. Some might have even an escalating way of discipline, for children that are very difficult. Now, while discipline can seem very harsh at the moment, not loving of the parents, we know what happens to children who never received discipline at home. Therefore, an essential part of parental love is in fact discipline. In a similar way, God also disciplines those He loves. “If you are not disciplined—and everyone undergoes discipline—then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all.” Hebrews 12:8 NIV We read from Job that God might even allow pretty extreme things to happen, ““Or someone may be chastened on a bed of pain with constant distress in their bones, so that their body finds food repulsive and their soul loathes the choicest meal. Their flesh wastes away to nothing, and their bones, once hidden, now stick out.” Job 33:19-21 NIV. I think these all qualify for extreme discipline; to prevent His people from falling into the pit.
Let us instead walk much closer to Him. To seek His ways and His advice. To listen to His voice when He guides us. Perhaps to get so close to Him that we can hear His breath. Many years ago, singer / songwriter Amy Grant recorded a beautiful song called “Breath of Heaven”, where she is referring to our Heavenly Father, Breath of Life. It is the recognition that it is He, “the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” Job 33:4 NIV