Breath of Life

Genesis 6:3 (The Message)
The Message (MSG)

Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson
[The Message at Navpress] [NavPress]

3 Then God said, "I'm not going to breathe life into men and women endlessly. Eventually they're going to die; from now on they can expect a life span of 120 years."

I continued reading Pause today and we've come to the account of Noah and the Flood. Just before that account, however, I was struck by this verse. I also checked the NIV and NLT translations but I prefer The Message's rendering today. Because I can read right through in the NIV translation, think 'fair enough' and move right along to whatever else. In contrast, when I read the verse in The Message I had to pause and think.

What is it about the verse that strikes me?

Well, for me, the inference is that it's God 'breathing life into' us that keeps us alive. And I've not thought about that before. I mean - you're born, you breathe, you live, you stop breathing, you die. I've never thought before that God must breathe life into you every single day. And when He stops, you die. This really brings home to me the verse that says:

Matthew 6:27 (New International Version)
New International Version (NIV)

Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society
[NIV at IBS] [International Bible Society] [NIV at Zondervan] [Zondervan]

27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life[a]?

It's all about God. Each day, each hour, each moment is a gift as he breathes life into us.

Take a breath. Feel it? That's God.