God's breath

When I returned to NC, I returned to my temporary cat, Marusia. I say temporary because really she belongs to someone else, and I am just long-term cat-sitting. Regardless, Marusia loves to be close to humans. I found this out experimentally when I tried to sleep in the same room with her. Middle of the night, I woke up to the sensation that I couldn't really breathe. Fur seemed to be occupying my breathing apparatus. While I did at one point in time hope to grow a beard, the fur was rather misplaced for that to have occurred. Rather, I discovered that the cat had relocated herself onto my face. The nearest conclusion that I can draw is that she has some comfort in feeling my breath, quite literally, upon her. She wants to get as close as she can to me, and quite literally does not feel secure unless she is sleeping on top of my face.

While this can be quite annoying for the sleeper, I think it demonstrates (certainly) a unique image of our hunger in various degrees for God. As believers, we want the kind of life that comes from having his breath upon us (quite literally, we were brought into human being when God breathed into Adam's nostrils with the breath of life). Yet some of us are content to lie, metaphorically speaking, at the edge of the bed, a safe distance from God, but close enough that we can still experience part of the life that He intended for us. Others dwell on the floor because we feel "unworthy" to dwell in God's presence, or because we don't feel the need to be close to God. Yet still others so passionately desire to be in God's presence, that they get as close to him as they possibly can because they desperately need to be in his presence in order to live fully. Unlike my relationship with Marusia, God never stops breathing on us, when we try to get too close to him. Rather, he invites us to dwell in his presence. He delights to have us dwell in his presence. He wants to be known. He wants to know us. We are designed to be in relationship with Him, and it is this relationship with Him that gives life and breath. So bask. Get as close as you can. Rest! and hang-out!