When Adam was formed by God from the dust of the ground, he was not alive until God breathed into him. When a baby is born and enters the outside world, we always wait for the cry that indicates his lungs have filled with air and he is breathing outside the womb. 

 

At the end of last year, I had two medical tests which could have been life changing.  I waited one month for the results on one and over a week for the other.  During that time, I had many opportunities to learn how to live moment by moment.  I was humbled and I found a new thankfulness for every breath I took when I woke up and got out of bed each day. I was reminded of the fragility of life.

 

One of the first things I did was study the names of God and their meanings and scripture that described who God is. Old Testament names of Jehovah-Rapha, Elohim, El-Roi and others point to God’s sovereignty.  His names gave insight to His divine character and brought intimate fellowship with Him.  I found myself relating to Him with deeper understanding about His involvement in my life and that brought me to an attitude of praise. 

 

I used the earthy color of soil and the transparency of breath.  I thought of the many times I walked outside in the cold when I was a kid and purposely blew out my breath to see the white transparent cloud in front of me. If you’re from the north, you’ll understand that. The three lines reference the trinity because God is Father, Son and Holy Spirit—Elohim.

 

I found Proverbs 18.10 comforting; The name of the LORD is a strong fortress; the godly run to Him and are safe.  I knew He was in the midst of the waiting as I ran to Him. After the waiting I shouted out praises when I found the test results were normal and He would continue to give me breath and life.

 

acrylic on canvas

Proverbs 18:10

Deuteronomy 10:17, 20, 21