Not too long ago I was in a Basic Life Support course. In the course, we learned life-preserving techniques on dummies that had plastic lungs and hollow heads, all to the tune of Stayin’ Alive.
As we were breathing into the dummies, I couldn’t help remembering the breath that was first breathed into our brother, Adam by God:
When no bush of the field was yet in the land and no small plant of the field had yet sprung up — for the Lord God had not caused it to rain on the land, and there was no man to work the ground, and a mist was going up from the land and was watering the whole face of the ground — then the Lord God formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature. And the Lord God planted a garden in Eden, in the east, and there he put the man whom he had formed. Genesis 2:5–8, English Standard Version, 2011.
We too were once lifeless and hollow like the dummies in my BLS course. But until we were breathed into, our lungs remained empty and lifeless. After we were intimately revived, the Lord gives us a role: to work and care for the whole of creation as God had himself worked and cared for it so tenderly and powerfully (Genesis 2:13).
Sometimes I need a reminder that the Lord breathes life into me and enables me to care for all of creation as he does. Sometimes the breath of life comes as being reassured that God is in control, other times it comes when I trust that broken stories break God’s heart just like it does mine. But my role is to bring tender care to creation as God fills my lungs with his breath and his words.
Where we were once hollow and lifeless, a heavenly embrace renews our minds and hearts as we embrace God’s way of caring for ourselves and the rest of creation (Romans 12:1–2).
Today, find God’s embrace and let him enable you to do what you were made for intimate connection and care for creation. Jesus says to you today:
Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light. Matthew 11:28–30, ESV
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