Breath of God

Ruach

“They believed that everything you and I know to be

everything that is exists because of an explosive,

expansive, surprising, creative energy that surges

through all things, holding everything all together and

giving the universe its life and depth and fullness.

They called this...the ruach of God.”

Rob Bell (What We Talk About When We Talk About God)

Rob Bell is speaking of the ancient Hebrews in the quote above. About their belief that common everyday experiences point beyond themselves to something greater. About the way they, and we today, discuss and debate about such things as the existence of God, the “how” of the universe, the “why” of our existence, while all around us creation is continuing, this cosmic energy is ever renewing, with or without our understanding. To continue his narrative, “What they talked about was all of this life and vitality and creativity and stars and rocks and talking and pasta and tears and whales having a singular, common, creative, sustaining source—whom they called God—who powers and energizes and sustains it all. And that includes us.” Ruach, breath of God.

What if we were to hold this in our consciousness: This is the ruach (breath, spirit) of God. Regardless of what it was, or who it was, or how common or uncommon it might be, we would regard it as part of that which we call God. This bread, this meal, this strawberry, this dog, this you, this me, all emerge from, and are sustained by, the very breath of God. Would it not change our every day existence into something more? Would we not move beyond the common to the cosmic with every experience? Would we have more reverence for the Earth and everything in it?

                                               In the Spirit,

                                                    Jane