The Breath of Life: Tuning In to God’s Wisdom
Discover how the divine breath of God empowers us to live with spiritual clarity and balance.
What if the very breath that keeps us alive also holds the secret to understanding God’s heart and wisdom? In Genesis 2:7, we see God breathe neshamah—the breath of life—into Adam. It wasn’t just about making Adam a living being; it was about setting him apart with a divine connection, one that made him spiritually awake and aware. But what happens when that connection gets a little fuzzy or clouded? In this post, we’re going to dig into the significance of neshamah and chat about how we can reconnect with spiritual clarity, even when life feels confusing. Ready to breathe in some fresh perspective?
Genesis 2:7 (NASB)
"Then the LORD God formed man of dust from the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being."
The Breath of Life
The “breath of life” in Hebrew is neshamah (נְשָׁמָה), and it’s way more than just oxygen. It’s the very breath of God that makes us spiritually alive. This breath isn’t some small detail; it’s what gave Adam the ability to live in tune with God’s thoughts and ways. Pretty amazing, right?
Job and the Power of Neshamah
We get an even clearer picture of neshamah in Job 32:8:
“But it is a spirit (ruach) in man, and the breath (neshamah) of the Almighty gives them understanding (tevinem).” (NASB)
Here, neshamah isn’t just about life; it’s tied to our spiritual and intellectual understanding. And here’s where things get even more interesting: the word tevinem (תְּבִינֵם) comes from the root “bin” (בִּין), which means “to discern” or “to understand.”
What Neshamah and Tevinem Mean for Us
When Adam and Eve chose to go their own way (aka sin), that divine connection was interrupted. Suddenly, their spiritual understanding got all muddied. And guess what? We’ve been dealing with that cloudiness ever since. But the potential for clear understanding is still there. We just need to tune in and get rid of the static.
Think about Job again. The guy went through incredible hardship and desperately needed true understanding to make sense of his suffering. And let’s be honest—we’ve all been there, too, facing things we can’t quite figure out.
How Can We Tune In?
When we’re tempted to make choices based on fear, pride, or selfishness, we can ask God for tevinem—that spiritual understanding that aligns us with His heart. And here’s the beautiful thing: God loves to give it. He’s more than willing to share His wisdom when we genuinely ask.
The Bible promises this in James 1:5:
"But if any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him." (NASB)
God’s not stingy about wisdom. He doesn’t make us feel bad for needing it, either. His heart is full of grace, and He’s eager to guide us toward peace and direction.
Fun Fact:
Here’s something cool: The Hebrew word neshamah (נְשָׁמָה) shares a root with nasham, which means “to pant” or “to gasp.” This connection emphasizes the awe-inspiring nature of God’s breath. When God breathed neshamah into Adam, it wasn’t a casual puff of air—it was a life-giving, wonder-filled moment. It’s like humanity took a spiritual gasp of astonishment. Every breath we take is a reminder of the miracle of God’s life in us.
Cross References:
Proverbs 2:6; John 20:22; Ezekiel 37:5; 1 Corinthians 2:12; Isaiah 42:5
Psalms 127