breathing in, living out
5June 4, 2012 by Caroline
Do you smell that?
Mmmm, yes.
That’s the smell of Monday waking up and I’m greeting him with a smile.
Because, today I’m breathing in Truth and living Truth out. Yesterday, in mid-ramble, I had a thought: what if the opposite of breathing in wasn’t breathing out? What I really mean is: what if the Word is the input and living is the output. It’s a different way to say that loving and knowing the Word translates into living the Word.
When you breathe in – one of those deep, belly-filling breaths – breathing out is what most naturally follows. The act of breathing in always precedes the act of breathing out – the alternate is not pretty. What if the act of breathing in the Word always preceded the act of living out the Word?
I think this is what the book of James makes so clear – faith without works is dead. There is no way to breathe in the Word without living out its Truth. Breathing in cannot be separated from breathing out – it’s all breathing.
And this Monday morning the breathing in, living out sounds something like this.
let LOVE fly like cRaZy
Caroline
Yep- I smell it! and as a vocal teacher who constantly harps on breathing BIG and LOW to produce the kind of beautiful sound we are capable of, I love the analogy and plan to steal it.
I encourage your theft!
The love of Christ motivates us to good works! Beautiful analogy!
I think of it more as breathing oxygen in and carbon dioxide out. Perhaps we breathe in the Word and breathe out our sinfulness.
Paul – I agree! I was thinking of the in/out motion – the inseparable reaction to the action of breathing. And, if I believe that we will breathe out our sinfulness as we live out the Word. I think it’s all part of the refining process. When we take in the Word, our lives are purified daily and the “output” of right living only comes as we shed our sin skin. So, I think we agree
But I hadn’t thought to include the carbon dioxide angle and I’m glad you did!