Morgan Harper Nichols Art

This past year I experienced some chronic chest pain.  In these days of respiratory disease, I was really concerned something might be wrong with my lungs. My doctor ruled out anything serious with my heart and lungs.  The pain seemed to be costochondritis, or cartilage inflammation, most likely due to age and exercise.    My doctor recommended that I get an “incentive spirometer, ” a small plastic device to help exercise my lungs by taking slow, deep breaths.  Taking those deep breaths has been a good reminder of  the gift of life and well-being. My very breath is a prayer of thanks.

The spirit of God has made me, and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

Job 33:4 (ESV)

Every breath we take is a connection with our Creator, who, with goodness and purpose, made us physical people with an immortal spirit and all our uniqueness wrapped up in a soul. This helps me to understand God as the Trinity, a whole and complete Creator Spirit, who chose to take on flesh in the incarnation of Jesus Christ.

Breath prayer is a form of contemplative prayer linked to the rhythms of breathing, reminding us that God is present in us. One of the most exhilarating experiences of prayer for me is connecting physical activity with the triune God. A wholistic interchange between physical and spiritual happens as I recite scripture while swimming. I’m immersed in silence, surrounded by the Spirit, filled with the Word of Christ, and breathing the very life gifted by the Father God.

Breath Prayer is also a deeper Invitation to move beyond “communication” which involves words and lists to “communion,” which moves to simple heart expressions.

Using the story of Hagar in Genesis 16:7-13, we will learn how to use a deeply healing breath prayer that couples the expression of our deepest heart yearning with a name for God that is personal and meaningful. To understand the context of Hagar’s encounter with God in the wilderness, first read Genesis 16 and 21:8-21. Then find a quiet space to meditate. Her story is our story.

O God who Sees, Watch Over Me

MEDITATE. (Lectio Divina) Genesis 16:7-13 (ESV)

As I enter prayer now, I pause to be still; to breathe slowly, to re-center my scattered senses on the presence of God. (Lectio 365)

Take a few deep breaths, and be still in the presence of God. As you read these verses, listen with your spirit, notice what word or phrase stands out to you.

The angel of the Lord found (Hagar) by a spring of water in the wilderness, the spring on the way to Shur.  And he said, “Hagar, servant of Sarai,
where have you come from and where are you going?”
She said, “I am fleeing from my mistress Sarai.”  The angel of the Lord said to her, “Return to your mistress and submit to her.”  The angel of the Lord also said to her, “I will surely multiply your offspring so that they cannot be numbered for multitude.”  And the angel of the Lord said to her, “Behold, you are pregnant and shall bear a son. You shall call his name Ishmael  
because the Lord has listened to your affliction.
 So she called the name of the Lord who spoke to her,
“You are the God who sees me,” 
for she said, “Truly here I have seen him who looks after me.”

Genesis 16

Now read the verses a second time.  Listen again to the word the Spirit draws out. And just as the Lord listened to Hagar’s cry for help, take a few moments to express your own heart desire.

Read the verses a third time.  What name did Hagar give to God? Sit with what you have heard.

PRACTICE. Write your own breath prayer as a response to what you have heard.

• Choose a name for God that you are most comfortable using or one that captures your sense of God from the Scriptures such as “the God who sees.”
• Imagine that God is calling you by name and asking, “What is the desire of your heart?” Write this down and then shorten it so that you can say it in the rhythm of your breathing. Such as “watch over me.”
• Then combine your name for God with the expression of your heart’s desire.  As you inhale, say your name for God; as you exhale, name your desire. For example: Inhale: O God who sees. Exhale: Watch Over Me.
• Throughout the day, say your prayer to quiet and open your spirit, as you are exercising, or doing simple tasks.

Ask the Holy Spirit to open your ears to hear God’s direction and promise just as the angel asked Hagar: “Where have you come from and where are you going?”  

Think about how you can link your physical activities with your spiritual practices.   The exhilaration in those moments comes from the wholistic connection between the spiritual and physical.

Our very breath is a prayer of thanks. Samuel Nwachukwu, Called Out Music.

“Hagar and the One Who Sees” is a powerful and beautiful short film produced in Egypt in Arabic. The story of Abraham as Father of many nations is shared by a large majority of the peoples of the world. Use this story in community to open a dialogue and pray for the world in crisis, for dysfunctional families, for single parents, for those experiencing painful trauma and abuse.

PRAYER. O Lord God Who Sees, open my ears to listen, open my eyes to see you. Amen.