Driving down the road to the lake house, I past a row of houses with their linen white, and hanging from cords drawn tightly between metal poles, and I remember those days.
Days of carrying wicker basket heavy with wet clothing and a young baby on top, to the line to hang diapers, tee shirts, jeans, and sheets. The fragrance of sheets, kissed by the sun and embraced by the gentle breeze is like no other. My, how life has changed.
Carrying a cooing child, in a Moses basket, with that which was pulled from the water, to dry in the heat of day – and I think of Jocebed. How many times did she place Moses in the basket, them pull him out not wanting to surrender him to any other woman? Then the daughter of Levi, hands her son to the daughter of Pharaoh to be raised as an Egyptian and not a Hebrew.
Did she hear the story of him killing a man? Did her heart grieve that the son she placed in the water to preserve would now be hung out to dry by the ways of the Egyptian world?
I wonder if she carried that basket to hang laundry, and looking toward the palace, tried to catch a glimpse of her son. Did Jocebed fully come up off of her knees in prayer for Moses?
Or did she, as she strained her eyes to see any movement in the palace, while she bent the knees of her heart, to whispers breath prayers to God to remember the one living a false life as an Egyptian.
She was a daughter of Levi, granddaughter of Abraham, the chosen people, a lineage of priests, and her youngest son survived the genocide, only to live as someone who was not a Hebrew; a descendent of Abraham, living a false identity as a gentile.
Did she live long enough to see Moses living as the man she knew he could be – the man who God had created him to be?
A Breath prayer is a prayer whispered into the air and found immediately in the throne room of God. It is short in duration and yet never-ending.
It is calling the name of God into a situation, or sending the promise of God to cover a situation…or a loved one.
There is a name of God for each situation that we find.
And for my own children I whisper Breath Prayers all day.
You are Elroi – You see. You are Deliverer. You are Author and finisher of faith. You are Rabboni you teach my children in the way they should go.
All day, I whisper Breath Prayers.
It is been many long years that I have bent the knees of my heart.
And, at times, I have strained my eyes to get a glimpse of my children so far away, both physically and spiritually, as I continue cleaning the laundry of my soul before the Lord. Continually calling His name into each desert or lake my children travel into.
You, Lord, are Jehovah-Shammah (God who is ever-present), and you are my Jehovah-Shalom (God who is peace).
And I am sitting here at the lake, thinking about all these things, and a song begins to sway through my mind and soul, and rising to the top I begin to sing,
Great is thy faithfulness, O, God, my Father…
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What a great word about “breath prayers”! Never thought of it that way. Thanks.
Thanks for stopping by, Barb!
“A Breath prayer is a prayer whispered into the air and found immediately in the throne room of God. It is short in duration and yet never-ending.” I love that line……I pray so many of those. Love this post.
Lori, The Word tells us to pray without ceasing, but for those in a realtionship with God, praying is as constant and natural as breathing. Do you Agree?
I pray breath prayers all day long, especially THESE days! And I’m trying hard to keep a good attitude and keep my funny bone in its socket!
Thanks for the lake break today, Diane!
Love you!!
You have a great funny bone, Susan. I have no doubt it will work! I’ll even call you up and pull on it if you’d like! =) =o
So many days I feel like I’m in a continuous conversation with God – I like calling it Breath Prayers. Thank you Diane.
Blessings,
Laura
Yes, Laura. it is as natural as breathing, to tell Him all that is on our heart.
I’m coming over from Out of the Blue. I, like you, have spent many years breathing prayers for my children. I think I always will over some matter or another. Your children are very blessed that they have a mother who prays for them. Thank you for sharing!
I like the idea of “Breath Prayers.” My children are all still at home and I feel overwhelmed at times and I have been convicted this summer that what I have breathed for way too long, is sometimes muttering under my breath. Prayers, I need to be saying prayers.
Thank you!
Elizabeth, with Children, whether they are home or living abroad, you whisper Breath Prayers, as long as there is breath in your body, the prayers continue. Love those babies, those years pass all too quickly. =)