The Breath of Prayer

I'm reading a book I've recently purchased called "The Power of Praying Through the Bible" by Stormie Omartian. I'm taking this book slowly--not rushing through this--because there is a lot to learn and absorb in this book. The author starts in Genesis, going through the Bible through to Revelation--a little excerpt on a verse with a portion of the Bible to read and ends with a prayer.

I thought I would take a few minutes to share the first few pages of this book with you.

The first prayer study is called "God's Connection with Us". The portion of the Bible to read is Genesis 1:26-2:7, and the particular verse to focus on is Genesis 2:7:

"The LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being."

As God created the world into being, He didn't remain impersonal in His creation. He became personally involved with human beings, breathing the very breath of life into us. By doing so, He gave us the ability to speak. Without breath, we wouldn't be able to perform this feat.


We breathe in and out, and we speak with the inspiration and expiration of our breath.

I remember each of my children's first words--how thrilled I was to hear them speak!! Even their first sounds which I had to deciper to understand!! But, I understood what they were saying and was awed when they began to verbally communicate with me and others.

God gave us these abilities. He bestowed them upon us--the ability to breathe and the ability to speak. When I think of how thrilled I was to hear my own children's first words, I am just wondering how thrilled God must be when we speak to Him through prayer. He is waiting there, listening for us to speak to Him, utilizing the ability that He Himself gave us.

I remember when I first re-turned to God. I was hesitant to pray because I really didn't know how. I heard others praying, and I was just amazed. I had never heard prayer before. This wasn't something we did in my home during our growing up years. In church, only the Pastor of the church prayed--no one else.

So, I was at a loss as to where to begin.

If you are like I was and feel hesitant to speak to God through prayer, Stormie gives a little hint in her book. Start small. Breathe a prayer to God. Say "Thank you for" slowly, breathe in slowly using this time to think of what you are thankful for. Then breathe out saying the words to express your gratitude to God.

Sounds simple enough, doesn't it? So, start praying today to thank God for whatever you are thankful for in your life at this given moment. It doesn't have to be something big.

Breathe in--"Thank you, God"........Breathe out........."for your unfailing love."

A simple prayer to God that He is waiting to hear. He's there waiting for each of us to speak to Him. just as we waited for our own children to speak to us. Start simple by just breathing your prayers to Him. He gave us the breath of life. Breathe back your thanks to Him.

Please be sure to visit "The Lighthouse of Prayer" and breathe your thanks to the LORD.


Beth