life-Breath

The first drop. I feel it over my face. The thawing. Frozen landscape of me beginning to melt warmly. The shape, the form of me, created in His image opens with eyes new. I struggle to comprehend the meaning, but something, Someone, is caressing with breath. I inhale, and the warming moves deep.

The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. (Job 33:4)



It occurs to me then in warming stillness, winter's grip is unyielding. And I remember Narnia, captive to winter far too long. Frozen in dormancy. Winter's appearance suggests death. But there is a stirring... and through this supposed death, it stirs gentle, apparent only to the Creator's eye. My own eye, hindered of spiritual sight fails to see - feel - the movement of winter.

Until...

My beloved spoke and said to me, “Arise, my darling, my beautiful one, come with me. See! The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land. The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.” (Song of Solomon 2:10-12)

Winter served her purpose. She reshaped the landscape of me. And the Breath warms as it thaws to reveal the new. I inhale the restoration, and finally exhale the fragrant beauty of His Creation. Yes!

I am my Beloved's and He is mine. (Song of Solomon 6:3)

And you, beautiful sister-friends... Can you feel the Breath warming, caressing? Winter unyielding cannot sustain its hold at the life-breath of God.