Praying Life, Breathing Soul
“By David. To You, O LORD, I lift up my soul.” Psalm 25:1
Praying Life, Breathing Soul
Soul – Hebrew is a language of concrete images. It is not like the Western European languages that we use; languages full of abstract terms without physical references like “time” or “omnipotent” or “omniscient”. Hebrew deals with tangible assets. So, the word nephesh (soul) is not really an abstract term for some ethereal, mysterious spirit entity. If we thought of soul like that, we would be forcing a Greek meaning on the word. Nephesh is first and foremost a word for breath, the physical movement of air in and out of a body. Breath means concrete evidence of life. Nephesh takes on the idea of all of my life, all that breathing animates. So, nephesh becomes the concrete expression of who I am, completely. My physical being, my emotions, my thoughts and my choices. Nephesh is the summary word for “me”.
David’s private prayer addressed to God alone is full of concrete images. I perform an action (lifting) by placing an object (my living) before my Creator. I carry myself to the altar so that God can carry me to His heart. I am Isaac, voluntarily lying down on the stones, awaiting sacrifice or redemption at the hand of God.
When prayer becomes intensely personal, there is no room for my agendas. All I can do is place myself before Him, ready for whatever He decides. Job uttered the same thought, “Though He slay me, yet I will worship Him.” What God does with the offering I bring is entirely up to Him. Prayers that dictate and demand have no place on the altar of self-sacrifice. And didn’t Jesus echo the same words: “He must take up his cross daily”.
The prayer of lifting up my soul is the transforming prayer that converts who I am into a living sacrifice. My very breathing becomes my prayer. I live because He carries me. I live because He cares.
The end of prayer is not the moment when I rise from my knees. It is the moment when I stop breathing. As long as He grants me breath, I will lift up myself to Him. I am a living prayer, glorifying my Creator in every moment. Pray life! And live soul!
