Thursday, August 28, 2008

Waiting to Inhale?

How do you know if you are really alive? What are the measures of life? Is it found in: Fullness, goodness, sheer emotional/physical/mental pleasure, existence, just *plain ol’ breathing?

In my 33rd year of “life” I have experienced quite a lot of the above, but it has only been in past 10 years that I could qualify this life as being alive. In the last couple months something simple has given me new found curiosity on a measure of life.

*Plain and old? Hold on to your bronchi; this might just take your breath away.

A friend of mine was describing to a group of us how the issue of life is sustained in the simple act of breathing. How each of the trillions of cells in our bodies need to have a precise amount of oxygen flooding into them at a constant rate; otherwise our bodies would stop working. The more amazing part is that breathing is an involuntary muscle function. Meaning, we, as humans can take no credit for breathing, and it follows that we cannot sustain are lives by this function. Another friend added, “If you try to hold your breath, voluntarily not breath, you will pass out; and then your body will involuntarily breathe to make up for your foolishness until you come back to consciousness!”

This got me in a more conscious state of thinking about Every Breath I Take; no, not the song by the Police; that it, breathing, is precious, and not be taken for granted. Further, it hits me that if I believe that this is not just an amazing fluke of natural occurrence, but rather an amazing design of my body, and an extremely well thought out blue print of function providing for other functions. Then, it gets me wondering how and why was I created. Was it just to use air, and be one of many breathing machines to run, dance, play, and sleep on this planet? Or is there something else behind our involuntarily taking in the air (mixed to the perfect amount for us to breathe and not suffocate, mind you) on this on planet that has been provided? Let us also not forgot that our friends, the plant kingdom, are somewhat dependant on us expelling the CO2 waste product from our air filled lungs.

Or is it a someone that has meticulously created our bodies, our atmosphere, and our ecosystem (plant friends) to live and thrive? This maybe too quick of a jump for some reading this, but I believe that there is sufficient mystery in science “the observation of things created”, and complexity of design in all that is created; to make us stand back in wonder of the natural wonders that are recognized as majestic, and in those just as majestic that are easily overlooked, like breathing.

So, be aware, and take a moment to consider the following; as your body conspires to force you to breathe, function and live. That with each intake of life sustaining air into our lungs; that this is a picture of a loving Creator showing us our dependency on His creative art of design, loving heart of mercy, and bringing to our recognition that He is the very “air” that sustains, and makes us truly alive.

Dig a little deeper?
Breath in the Bible - Genesis 2:7 “Then the Lord God created a man out of the dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and the man became a living being.”

Sojourner Jim