Without the breath of God, we are nothing but dust. While scientists study our DNA and cell structure and people debate our origin, dust is usually not part of the discussion. We try to sweep dust out of our house, vacuum it up. No one sets up monuments to the possible dust balls we came from. But God, with a handful of dust and His celestial breath, joined, formed, and layered common, earthly dust into a creature so complex that no one really understands the whole of this creation.
If this journey to Easter is anything it is a journey to appreciate the difference that the breath of God makes in our lives. We can dress up our dust, try to hide our dust, hope no one sees remnants of our dust; but the truth is, without the breath of God, we are nothing but dust.
Today is Ash Wednesday. For centuries, people wear an ash-marked cross on their forehead to remind them of their created origin and earthly end. Whatever we do for this remarkable or failing body will not protect and extend life in Heaven. We need the breath of God to make a difference. We need His whisper in our ear to go, see, repent, confess, turn around, help, forgive, restore. His words propel us. Ours can ruin us. This is where a journey to the cross begins: sitting with the truth of our utter helplessness without the breath of God. This is where our first prayer for these days begins: “Woe is me! For I am lost.” (Isaiah 6:5, ESV)
Today
Think about God who saw your possibilities in common dust, breathed His life-giving breath, and created you so that you could carry His life-breath to others. Who does that mean you are?
My Prayer
O God of Life-giving breath, breathe on me today. Protect me from any misguided thought that I am self-made by my goals and accomplishments. Remind me that without your breath, I am worthless dust. I need your mighty rushing wind to blow through me again and again so that I may be all you created me to be. I am ready for a journey to rediscover who that is.
Special Note
I ran into some technical difficulties loading the whole week. Look for more tomorrow. --Debbie