The Breath of Life

This appeared today on www.christiandevotions.us. Thought I'd post it here too. You can subscribe to this service and receive a brief devotional thought each day. I recommend it!


The Lord God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being. Genesis 2:7

When I was in college I was a lifeguard at a local swimming pool. Prior to the summer season, I was certified in Water Safety, Life Saving, and CPR. Because it is dangerous to practice CPR on a person, we had to perform our techniques on a mannequin. We laughed about having to put our mouths on our artificial victims and we made sure to swab the areas clean with plenty of alcohol before passing them on to the next student.

It was hard to be serious about it because we all felt a little silly administering mouth-to-mouth to a plastic person.

However, a few months later, during a hot, humid, and busy July 4th weekend at the pool, I learned the value of knowing CPR. A swimmer passed out while standing atop a diving board ten feet from the ground. I rushed to his side, as did a Registered Nurse who happened to be nearby. The victim was unconscious and we immediately began administering CPR. It was definitely no laughing matter. It was critical.

The nurse and I were able to breathe life into our patient. He began breathing again and, in a few minutes, he was transported to a local hospital. Unfortunately, I learned later that afternoon that the young man died from injuries sustained from his fall.

I learned the value of life that day. I learned how quickly life can pass and how important it is to live each day to the fullest. I learned that God has breathed life into each one of us and that we have been given something very special. Do you realize that God has chosen to breathe life into you? It is a precious gift that we must use for His glory each and every day.

We only have one life to make an impact. One life to make a difference. One life to be a positive influence for Christ. What will you do with your one and only life?

by Gene Jennings