Breath of Life

My youngest, had slept long past the time she would normally wake from her nap. I went up to wake her, and as I opened the door, her sleepy eyes slowly opened. She didn’t look grumpy. Nor did she look like she was quite ready to move. I walked over as she lifted her arms up to me, and I slowly lifted her into my arms. Sitting down on her sister’s bed, I cradled her 3 year old body over my lap, and rocked her back and forth, asking if she enjoyed her nap. In the stillness and quiet of the room we just sat there for a moment. With her face pressed up against my chest she calmly asked, “Mommy, what are you doing?” 

“I am rocking you,” I replied.

“No, you’re not,” she said, in a very matter of fact tone.

“I am cuddling you,” I tried again.

“No,” she said again with a deep sigh. “You are giving me breath so I can breathe.” 

If you knew my wild, strongly opinionated, and volume control challenged 3 year old, you would understand what an absolutely precious moment this was. She simply needed to recharge, and she clung to me. What if, in our completely exhausted moments, when we don’t feel like we can move, or even get out of bed, we clung to Jesus like a phone to its charger.

What if we just sat, in the stillness, like a cradled child, breathing in His presence?

If ever there was an eye opening moment for me, showing me how to be more child-like, this was it. When I become fatigued, stressed, or frustrated, I tend to busy myself even more. Even in my rest, I am browsing on the computer or on my phone, reading a book or crocheting. I fill my rest with distractions. When am I ever just still? When are any of us just  still?

 

My 3 year old, who is almost always go-go-go, taught me a valuable lesson in stillness. When you are tired, when you need to recharge, turn off the noise, put away the distractions. Allow yourself to be held in the quiet presence of the Lord. Take a deep breath, and allow Him to breathe new life into your exhausted body.