Just Breathe…

There was a moment when Moses had the nerve to ask God what His name is.
God was gracious enough to answer, and the name He gave is recorded in the original Hebrew as YHWH.
Over time we’ve arbitrarily added an “a” and an “e” in there to get YaHWeH, presumably because we have a preference for vowels.
But scholars and rabbis have noted that the letters YHWH represent breathing sounds or aspirated consonants. When pronounced without intervening vowels,
it actually sounds like breathing. YH (inhale) : WH (exhale).
So a baby’s first cry, his first breath, speaks the name of God. He is the Alpha, the Beginning.
Likewise, a person leaves this earth with their last breath and God’s name is the last sound that escapes their lips. He is the Omega, the End.
Even an atheist cannot help but speak His name... unaware that their very breath is giving constant acknowledgment to God.
Simply being alive means we speak His name constantly.
Is it heard the loudest when we are the quietest?
A deep sigh calls His name... a groan or gasp that is too heavy for mere words.
In sadness, we breathe heavy sighs… sometimes shuddering breaths when we’ve cried so hard our lungs thirst for more of His peace.
In joy, our lungs feel almost like they will burst.
In exhaustion, we yawn, breathing deeply to refresh our weariness.
In fear, we either hold our breath or breathe so fast that we have to be told to breathe slowly to help us calm down.
When we’re about to do something difficult, we take a deep breath to find our courage.
Just breathing is giving Him praise.
Even in our sleep.
Even in our normal moments.
Even in our hardest moments.
Even in our most selfish and sin-filled moments, His grace is as close as our next breath.
So, breathe… just breathe.
........YHWH.......
Breathe Him in and breathe Him out.
........YHWH.......
........YHWH.......
There is such beauty here… please don’t miss it… while some cultures never dare to intentionally speak His name because they believe it is too holy for them to utter,
God chose to give Himself a name that we can’t help but speak every moment we’re alive...
until someday we stop and can be with Him for eternity. That’s the kind of God He is…
freely giving Himself to us… calming us… refreshing us… sustaining us… healing us…
All of us... always... everywhere…
Waking, sleeping, singing, crying, living, and dying
with the name of God on our lips.

I thought this an appropriate first post. I’ve had to breathe through a lot of anxiety opening this store! Covid shutdowns, leather shortages, sickness at home, etc… etc… BUT GOD is always there and as long as I just follow, I know that I will be fine. From the start, I would not ask God to bless a venture that I don’t use for His glory in return and so every chance I get, I will use this little mission field of Mud Creek Mercantile to give him praise. While the name has roots in our home, it also gives a nod to the place where He found me… in the mud, muck, and mire of my sin. He pulled me out, redeemed me, and called me His and I am forever grateful. So, thank you for joining me here in my little mission field. I hope to see you sometime at our market... please say hi and let me know who you are! We can breathe and pray and praise Him together.