Gifts from God

God gives us so much. Life itself is a gift. Today we'll discuss those subtle reminders of this gift from God. And there are gifts within this gift. For example, last weekend, my friend, Vicki emailed this TikTok link to me about the beautiful meaning of YHWH. So, I wanted to share that here today. The gentleman in the video explains that YHWH are aspirated (breathed) consonants. YH is the sound we make when we inhale and WH the sound when we exhale. The video is under 2 minutes long, and it is very much worth watching/listening to. The name of God is on our lips every time we breathe. What a beautiful thought.

I have a short back story I would like to tell you about breathing. A couple of weeks after my brother passed away in 2022, God told me to breathe and concentrate on those breaths, that each breath was a gift. My brother was on pure oxygen for nearly a month, fighting for his life. All of us were praying that his collapsed lung would heal. But the Covid would not go away, and his body wasn't strong enough for the healing process. The doctor explained that if he remained on all that oxygen (lowest he could manage was 97%) that the oxygen would turn him into a vegetable. I still think the decision to unhook him from his life-giving oxygen was done prematurely. But that wasn't my decision. All I could think about was how he probably wished they would give him that oxygen back instead of letting him just fight for breath until he wasn't able to fight any longer - and those last 2 tears that fell from his eye. The decision happened so fast that my parents and my husband and I were not able to be with him as he passed. At first, I thought they could have at least waited a couple of hours so we could be there as well. But God told me it was better that we weren't there. I don't know what that means, but I trust God to do what's best for all of us. I know my decisions are sometimes not the best even if the intentions were well meaning.

Then God told me that my brother is now safe with him, his battle is over, he is healthy where he is now. And that I need to concentrate on life, enjoy my gifts. The 2 gifts God has me concentrate on are breathing and water - the 2 most valuable life-giving gifts that He gives us. I love life, and each morning before I read my devotions, I concentrate on these 2 gifts. I purposely take several deep breaths and drink a glass of water, concentrate on their life-giving traits, and thank God for these gifts. Throughout the day, I might purposely think of other gifts God has allowed us to have, really concentrate on my good health, our home, rain, our yard that so much of the wildlife like to visit. 

These twin fawns wandered into our yard without their mom. They stayed in our yard for about 4 hours even when I was outside watering flowers and trimming the rose bushes for 30 minutes or so. We hope they had just wandered off and mama deer finally found them and that she hadn't been killed by a car.

God blesses us in so many ways that it would be impossible to not think of at least 1 more thing to be thankful for each day. But now, I have better understanding of that breathing God told me to be thankful for and to do it on purpose at least for those few minutes each day. Now, as I inhale, I think YH and as I exhale, I think WH, make the sounds in my mind and sometimes out loud. 

It wasn't long after God told me to breathe on purpose and be thankful while doing so that He introduced me to a deeper understanding of meditation, which, as most know even if they don't meditate, requires concentration on breathing much of the time. So, I'm learning how to also breathe correctly with meditation.

Back to the video now. I did research on this idea and found that it does corroborate with articles about YHWH means God's breath. But while I was doing that research I found the other meanings that have come into translation such as YHVH pronounced (yeh-ho-vaw'). That makes sense, too, since Jehovah is one of the names we call God. And more at the next search about I am, He was, He is, He will be, and other close meanings. They are all beautiful and, together, have more meaning as we breathe God's holy name in and out about 22,000 times every day we live. 

I hope this has blessed you and that you find yourself purposely speaking God's name as you breathe life in (YH) and out (WH) of your body today.

Blessings,

Patricia