The Oasis - January 13, 2021

January 13, 2021
by Pastor Dan

     “Breathe deep, seek peace.” A favorite mantra of mine since I was a kid, taken from a favorite book by James Gurney.
     Who needs to feel the peace of God right about now? I know I do. And day to day we all know it can be hard to find.
     “Ruach.” An ancient Hebrew word meaning wind, breath, or spirit.
     Our breath fills us, sustains us, renews us. When we breathe in, we take in the Spirit of the universe. When we breathe out, we let that Spirit clean the deepest corners of us and carry that stale air out and away.
     Just like fresh oxygen entering our lungs, in the breath of the Spirit comes new life, new energy. In the breath of the Spirit comes a profound calm and centeredness. In the breath of the Spirit comes even wisdom—a clarity of mind and a newness of perception. In the words of the Apostle Paul: “I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you” (Ephesians 1:17-18a).
     When in doubt, breathe.

“Survival of all or none. One raindrop raises the sea. Weapons are enemies even to their owners.
Give more, take less. Others first, self last. Observe, listen, and learn. Do one thing at a time.
Sing every day. Exercise imagination. Eat to live, don't live to eat. Don’t pee in the bath.”
– James Gurney, “Dinotopia: A Land Apart from Time”