This week as I spoke with Pastor Dan about the upcoming sermon, he said that we'd be moving along in Romans to Chapter 10, verses 14-17, which tells us how essential preaching is to spread the gospel. And that set me to thinking about the eternal rhythms still pulsing through the body of Christ — seven days, seven days, seven days…

For me, it brought to mind an image of God using a seven-day breathing cycle whereby he breathes life into his people once every seven days, through the Holy Spirit, via the preached Word. We cannot hear the word unless someone in that pulpit uses the very breath God gave them to physically speak it to us in the congregation. And that, at least for me this week, is where this verse from the sermon text in Romans connects:

So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the (God-breathed) word of Christ. (Romans 10:17 ESV)

My task then, for the balance of the week is to take that particular breath of God and breathe it out to the world around me which deperately needs to receive it. It may be in a conversation at Walmart, or over the back fence to a neighbor, or even in an encouraging email to a sick friend on the prayer list.