• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are
• Editor’s note: “Spiritual leaders answer” is a weekly column inviting Kaua‘i’s religious and spiritual leaders to share their doctrine’s perspective on a suggested subject. Every Friday, a topic is printed, inviting a response. Due to space limitations, submissions are edited. Thoughts or suggestions for future topics are always welcome. Next week’s subject is on angels. The topic at the end of the column is for the following week.
Rev. Rachel Schwab
Hanapepe Hawaiian Congregational Church
“Then the Lord God formed humans from the dust of the ground, and breathed into their nostrils the breath of life; and the men and women became living beings.” Genesis 2:7
“In God’s hand is the life of every living thing and the breath of every human being.” Job 12:10
Did you ever stop to think about your breath? Probably only when trying to fall asleep at night and in the stillness you watch the rise and fall of your chest lull you to sleep. Perhaps you think about your breath when you have exercised or been playing or running after a child and you have trouble “catching your breath.”
Our breath isn’t something we should take for granted. The scripture tells us that our breath actually comes from God. God breathed life into us so we can live and thrive in this world.
In Hebrew the word for breath is “ruah,” pronounced roo-ah, and literally means, God’s breath. In the Biblical Greek the word for breath is the same as for spirit or wind, “pneuma,” pronounced new-ma. Both translations provide some insight as we consider that our breath demonstrate how we are physically alive. However, in scripture breath is more than just a part of the physical being, it symbolizes our connection to God.
So “take a breather” (that is, take a break) from your busy life and remember that God’s breath in within you. Mahalo e ke Akua.
Kahu Dr. James Fung
Lihu‘e Christian Church
Christians believe that every breath we take is a gift of God. It is the most precious gift we have, next to eternal life. It is something we never want to take for granted. Every breath we draw could be accompanied with a prayer that silently whispers, “Thank you.”
“Breath” in the Christian tradition has even deeper meanings. A popular Christian song is in the form of a prayer that says, “Breathe on me breath of God; fill me with life anew.” It articulates the Biblical view of breath as the mysterious and miraculous power of God to purify one’s heart of negative thoughts and attitudes, that has the power to replace pettiness with a nobler and more charitable spirit, that has the power to introduce a new vision of what life can be for those who want to breathe in, that is, be inspired, by God’s intentions for human life in the world.
A person never values something as basic as each breath until deprived of it. I think of a story I heard years ago about a young man who was in search of the truth of what life is all about. He heard of a holy man who lived on a remote island. He traveled far to get there. When he met the sage and asked him to reveal God’s truth, the sage said “okay” and walked with him out into the lake. Without warning the holy man turned upon the young man and pushed him under the water and held him there while the young man struggled with all his might to get free. Finally, when it seemed that he was almost drowned, the young man was released and as he emerged from the water. He yelled,
“Are you crazy? I came here looking for God, and instead you almost got me drowned.” The sage answered, “You will find God only when you desire him as much as you desired that breath of air.”
Just as we take each breath for granted, so we can take for granted life and God the giver of life. Life is so precious. And so is the God who bestows this gift upon us.
The Baha’i of Kaua‘i
The first independent act of an infant at birth is to take a breath of air. Without physical breath the human body perishes. Breath is essential to physical life. Man, however, is not just a physical being but also a spiritual being. An individual’s spiritual reality must be infused with a spiritual breath, the breath of the Holy Spirit. With this spiritual breath of life, the individual receives the knowledge of God and accepts His love and guidance.
Without the breath of the Holy Spirit, the individual’s spiritual life fails to flourish and is said to be spiritually dead. One who is spiritually dead stagnates in the physical realm and fails to prepare his soul for its eternal journey toward God.
Topic for two
weeks from today
• Will you speak to us on
vengeance?
•Spiritual leaders are invited to e-mail responses of three to five paragraphs to pwoolway@kauaipubco.com
•Deadline each week is
Tuesday, by 5 p.m.