breath

 I was standing outside the MOT center yesterday ( it passed!) watching people coming and going with their cars - everyone in their face masks.  And I suddenly had a picture of God breathing into Adam to give him life.  I imagine that God breathed into Adam's mouth to inflate man's lungs with the breath of God.  I then remembered a day many years ago when I pulled a man out of the sea.  On a beautiful summer morning on the beach in Edinburgh he was floating face down in a few inches of water.  I knew it wasnt looking good.  As I turned him over it was clear he wasn't breathing.  For some reason the only thing I could think of to do was to pray.  It didn't really occur to me to breathe into to him - the police did that when they very quickly arrived on the scene.  I realised in that moment how terrifying it is to put your mouth over the mouth of someone who is dying ( or dead) and breathe into them.

There is something very very special about breath.

Covid has masked our breathing.  When the wearing of facemasks became compulsory I was very uncomfortable but I couldnt quite work out why.  Today I realised that it was a spiritual thing - that I passionately did not want my breath to be restricted.  God made us breathing creatures.  He didn't have to do that.  Im sure he could have invented an entirely different way for us to exist, but because God is a breathing being, and we are made in His image, we breathe too.  The Holy Spirit is described as being the very breath of God.  Ruach . Just as God's breath gives life so does ours.  We have the power in our lungs to give life to someone elses lungs if we breathe into them.  Covid has made us fear our very breath.  It has told us the lie that our breath is dangerous.  That our breath can kill people.  I wonder how many people have died this year because someone was unwilling to give them mouth to mouth resuscitation because of Covid. Today I saw that there is something so very very anti-God about this disease.  

There is a danger that once Covid is done and dusted mask wearing will carry on.  People will think that it's better to be safe than sorry.  They have got used to having a mask in every pocket and putting it on whenever in close proximity to others.  But I for one will be ditching mine at the first opportunity.  I no longer want my words to be muffled, my smile to be hidden and my breath to be stifled.  The three things which allow me to best express Jesus - words, smile and breath need to be freeeeeeeee!