He Gives the Breath of Life

 The Spirit of God has made me; the breath of the Almighty gives me life. Job 33: 4

As we think about Christmas and the miracle of the birth of Christ, we can’t help but think of the miracle of life itself. I think each time we see or hold a new born child, we realize the wonder that has taken place. Yet, we can’t begin to understand how much God loves, values, and cherishes each life until we look at His Word and read about the love with which “the Spirit of God made us and breathed life into our bodies.”

We read in Psalm 139 that “when He created us, He wove us together in a fearful and wonderful way”, and cradled us in our mother’s body. And the most wonderful part, “He breathed life into our unformed bodies and His eyes watched over us as we grew into the beings He would have us be.”

Yet, there is so much about God and life we don’t understand, such as why some bodies don’t seem perfect or “wonderfully made”, or why some that were formed never develop well enough to sustain life but for a short time. But we know our sovereign God knows why and maybe someday we, too, will understand.

But for those whom He has given life, how humbling to think of Him forming us in His mind, carefully planning every detail, and we can only imagine the love and care He put into every aspect of our being as He molded us into His image. Imagine the pride He must have felt as he breathed life into us and thought of the future He had planned for us.

Can we begin to comprehend  that He knew us before we were even conceived, and that He began getting us, and those whom He has entrusted our care, ready for our arrival? He had a personal, intimate, and divine involvement in our conception and in our development. In all our medical technology, man can’t create a soul and neither can a random process in nature. Only God can create such a masterpiece of design, and only He deserves our honor and praise for the gift of life.

Our sovereign, divine, and loving God knew who He wanted us to be. As He created us, He knew every aspect of our appearance, personality, and character. He knew how we would think and feel, how the world would change us, but He also knew  who we could become with His grace and love if we would look to Him.

God has never made anyone just like us. Each of us is unique and precious in His eyes, and Scripture tells us that He has a purpose  for the time in which we were born. No one can fill the place He has planned for us, or do the things we individually were meant to do. We were “fearfully and wonderfully made” – every one of us – beautiful and unique in our own right. If only we could see ourselves as God sees us and be grateful for the breath of life He has given us.

God is the Creator of all things. Everything that exists comes from Him. God gives life, and may we never forget how precious a life is in His eyes. As we celebrate the miracle of the Christ child this Christmas, may we celebrate our own gift of life and the lives of those we love.

 Prayer

Dear God, our Creator and Sustainer of life, may we never take for granted the precious gift of life that you have given each of us. And as we begin this Christmas season, may we be in wonder of the birth and life of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ, and give Him praise for the love, light, and hope He brings to our world. We give you all honor and glory. Amen