Breathing is Life, Freedom, Love and Truth

Scripture

Teach me your way, O Lord, and lead me on a level path because of my enemies. Do not give me up to the will of my adversaries, for false witnesses have risen against me, and they are breathing out violence. I believe that I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Psalm 27: 11-13

Devotional

We know breathing to be fundamental to life. But, tragically, this world's powers are moved by something different. Our Psalm speaks of people breathing, but breathing out false witness and violence. They are the things which empower systems of control and harm, fear and neglect. They are servants of death. They embolden people to use fear and hatred as justification to take away people's ability to breathe.

However, God offers us another way. We have the opportunity to refuse to live as citizens of earth's systems of death. God calls us to life as citizens of the Lord's Reign in the land of the living. Here we reconnect with what we know. Breathing is life, freedom, love and truth. We must breathe.

Prayer

God of the living, thank you for communities and people to work with, to live your truth with, to breathe with. Let your goodness be seen by all and forever shape this world. Amen.

By Rev. Shaun Drefahl

Rev. Shaun Drefahl is an ordained pastor in the United Church of Christ. He graduated from Chicago Theological Seminary in 2010 and has served churches in Ohio and Wisconsin doing work related to veterans' health and homelessness. He is currently serving as a chaplain.